Brookings Publishes Moeed Yusuf’s Paper

Pardee Center Research Fellow Moeed Yusuf’s research paper on “Prospects of Youth Radicalization in Pakistan: Implications for U.S. Policy” has just been published by the Saban Center at the Brookings Institution. [PDF Download]

Moeed Yusuf argues that Pakistan exhibits symptoms that point to high potential for youth radicalization. The situation is marked by a poor education system stratified along socio-economic lines and disparate economic opportunities across segments of society. These warning signals increase the likelihood for young members of society being lured towards extremist causes. Moreover, the presence of an extremist infrastructure, the impeccable organizational discipline and widespread social networks of Pakistan’s Islamic political and militant outfits, a failure of the moderate forces to deliver credible results, and myopic U.S. policies further enhance Islamist influence.

The paper goes on to suggest that while Pakistan’s bloated youth cohort and a noticeable desire among young men to attain education and find respectable livelihoods could act as an agent for positive change in ideal circumstances, a proactive and multi-faceted policy approach is required to generate desirable outcomes. Given Pakistan’s strategic importance and its potential to disrupt South Asian peace, the international community has a high stake in ensuring a positive turnaround. Key policy interventions required in the immediate future, while maintaining a broader objective, must specifically target the younger generation.