Mona Sheikh

Mona Kanwal Sheikh holds a PhD. in Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and has previously been affiliated to the University of California Santa Barbara as visiting research scholar. Currently she is conducting postdoc research at the Danish Institute for International Studies where she works on security issues relating to Afghanistan and Pakistan. She has worked particularly on the Pakistani Taliban and their justifications for violence.

Sharif, the army and the Taliban

Not only Pakistan’s army, but the foreign interests that come with aid-dependency have defined Pakistan’s security policies during the past decade. A new course for Pakistan, where long-term economic policies are prioritized over short-term military operations will clash with US interests.

By Mona Sheikh

/ 30 May 2013

Pakistan elections 2013: will policy win over patrimony?

The real reason for celebration is not that Pakistan has had a potentially corrupt, but highly resilient government that managed to stay glued to their chairs for five years without the military interfering. Far more important is whether this election can bring a change in political culture in its

By Mona Sheikh

/ 24 Apr 2013

Europe needs principles for intervention

Why is Denmark involved in Mali? European leaders should clarify when, why and how to participate in military interventions and warfare abroad. Emerging security challenges in nearby neighbourhood regions, together with a waning Pax Americana, are obliging Europe to reconsider its future global ro

By Rasmus Alenius Boserup and Mona Sheikh

/ 15 Feb 2013