Identity in Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: Collaboration with USA

Abstract

This dissert ation aims to understand the identit y constructions that accompany Pakistan‘s securit y related foreign policy collaboration with USA. This research is motivated by three question s. Firstl y, can an appropriate theoretical framework be designed to conduct th is inquiry? Secondl y, what were the identity constructions that attempted to accommodate Pakistan‘s collaboration with USA? Thirdl y, w ere there any contradictions in the identit y constructions that accompanied the collaboration? A review of literature has shown that not much scholarl y work has been undertaken on the identit y of Pakistan and no scholarl y literature could be found to have focused on the dissertation‘s topic. This research is significant because it will help advance the understanding of Pakistan‘s foreign policy and will illuminate aspects of Pakistan‘s relation with USA. Using a constructive theoretical framework the dissertation looks at three distinct periods of securit y collaboration between Pakistan and USA, which cumulativel y span thirt y seven years. The findings from the research illustrate that during the first period of cooperation with USA, Pakistani identit y constructions sought to build convergences around shared values of democracy and progress. In the second period the focus shift ed to Islam and saving Muslims. In the third period the identit y constructions focus ed on projecting a moderate Islamic world view and distancing Pakistan from radical Islam. Islam is an aspect of identit y that is important during the three periods of Pakis tan‘s cooperation with USA. However, Islam is invoked in different manners 12and, overall, no single identit y construct anchor s the cooperation. The Pakistani attempts at identit y constructions are weakened because of inherent contradictions. These include the general lack of support b y USA for Muslim countries of the Middle East , the divergence between USA‘s support for democracy and Pakistan‘s intermittent dictatorships , and the comprise of Pakistan‘s sovereignty that comes with Pakistan‘s support for the USA led War on Terror.