Saira Yamin

After completing an M.S. degree at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (ICAR) in 1992, Saira Yamin returned to her home in Pakistan and began working with development programs dedicated to alleviating poverty. Eventually, she began teaching conflict resolution and crisis management and used her expertise to develop additional conflict resolution curricula for her school. When speaking of her homeland, she is mindful of the fact that Pakistan, along with its neighbors in South Asia, has a unique social and political position. While the country makes a great effort to preserve its traditions, Saira believes that fruitful changes can be made and that she can influence the society by teaching others conflict resolution skills while still maintaining the richness of its culture.

In addition to her teaching career, she has also worked on woman's rights. "Women have a lot of room for empowerment and education is the key to this development," says Saira. Therefore, she is conscious of learning and development not only because it is needed, but because she feels instinctively driven to do so.

This purpose, and the opportunity to deepen her teaching experience, led Saira to return to ICAR and pursue her Ph.D. She currently plans to write her dissertation based on the concept of failed states. Saira notes that although "failed" implies something negative, the world cannot automatically discredit nations with this classification.

This registers with her personally, as Pakistan is among the nations in this category. Saira would like not only to diagnose why these states may have deteriorated, but also begin to think about these nations in terms of prevention and how to stymie the cycle of turmoil that seems to surround them. This includes continuing to work on Track II initiatives between India and Pakistan. The knowledge that she gains will be put to the test soon enough, as she plans to return to Pakistan upon completing her studies at ICAR. Still, Saira continues to make sure that she is proficient in understanding all areas of conflict, not only those closest to home.