In this seminar, Professor Anatol Lieven will elaborate on some of the key arguments presented in his latest book, Pakistan: A Hard Country. In particular, he will touch upon those foundational factors that have contributed to make Pakistan the country that it is today: a negotiated state, perceived as constantly on the verge of collapse, while at the same time showing incredible resilience.

Arne Strand, Research Director at CMI, and Hans-Inge Langø, Researcher at NUPI, will act as discussants. There will also be an open discussion afterwards. The seminar will be chaired by Marco Mezzera, Senior Adviser at NOREF.

The seminar is co-hosted with the Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre (NOREF).


Professor Anatol Lieven is chair of international relations and terrorism studies at King's College London, and a senior fellow of the New America Foundation in Washington DC. He was previously a journalist, who reported from South Asia, the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe for The Times and other publications. His books include Chechnya: Tombstone of Russian Power, America Right or Wrong: An Anatomy of American Nationalism and, with John Hulsman, Ethical Realism: A Vision for America's Role in the World. Lieven has travelled extensively for research in Pakistan and other parts of the Muslim world. His book, Pakistan: A Hard Country was selected by the Daily Telegraph as one of the '2011 Books of Year'.