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Polycentricity means governance comes from many sources outside the central government, sometimes sparking destructive conflict. Touching on development, polycentric governance, and Islamic and South Asian Studies, this book argues that religiously and historically-grounded shared understandings can support productive polycentric order in Pakistan and comparable Muslim-majority developing countries

Presenting a framework that incorporates macro-level forces into micro-level strategic calculations, this book explains key political choices by leaders and challengers in Pakistan through the political survival mechanism. It offers an explanation for continuing polity weakness in the country, and describes how political survival shapes the choices made by the leaders and challengers.Using a unique analysis that synthesizes theories of weak states, quasi-states and political survival, the book extends beyond rationalist accounts and the application of choice-theoretical approaches to developing countries. It challenges the focus on ideology and suggests that diverse, religiously and ethnically-defined affinity groups have interests that are represented in particular ways in weak state circumstances. Extensive interviews with decision-makers and polity-participants, combined with narrative accounts, allow the author to examine decision-making by leaders in a state bureaucratic machinery context as well as the complex mechanisms by which dissident affinity groups may support 'quasi-state' options. This study can be used for comparisons in Islamic contexts, and presents an interesting contribution to studies on South Asia as well as Political Development.

Presenting a framework that incorporates macro-level forces into micro-level strategic calculations, this book explains key political choices by leaders and challengers in Pakistan through the political survival mechanism. It offers an explanation for continuing polity weakness in the country, and describes how political survival shapes the choices made by the leaders and challengers. Using a unique analysis that synthesizes theories of weak states, quasi-states and political survival, the book extends beyond rationalist accounts and the application of choice-theoretical approaches to developing countries. It challenges the focus on ideology and suggests that diverse, religiously and ethnically-defined affinity groups have interests that are represented in particular ways in weak state circumstances. Extensive interviews with decision-makers and polity-participants, combined with narrative accounts, allow the author to examine decision-making by leaders in a state bureaucratic machinery context as well as the complex mechanisms by which dissident affinity groups may support 'quasi-state' options. This study can be used for comparisons in Islamic contexts, and presents an interesting contribution to studies on South Asia as well as Political Development.

Pakistan made history, with an elected civilian government completing a full five-year term in 2013 before turning power over to another elected civilian government. Elections saw high turnout, bringing Nawaz Sharif back as prime minister. Though former military ruler Pervez Musharraf was placed on trial, the Pakistani military remains politically powerful. Violent militancy, power shortages, and fiscal problems continued, but an IMF loan should provide some short-term relief.

In the lead up to Pakistan's national elections scheduled for 2013, the judiciary and the legislature have clashed over the reopening of corruption cases against President Zardari. Prime Minister Gilani was forced from office, and the crisis abated due to his successor's actions. The Supreme Court ruled that military intelligence illegally interfered with an earlier election. Fiscal crises, sectarian violence, insurgency, and slow economic growth continue to pose serious challenges. U.S. aid was resumed after NATO supply lines were re-opened, but tensions remain over U.S. drone strikes. The Pakistani rupee sank to a record low. The country's democratic transition is still young, and consolidation may promote solvency and improve governance.

This book assesses the originality of Elinor and Vincent Ostrom's research program, extends some of its theoretical insights to key areas of institutional and policy analysis, and engages with other approaches and areas of research in order to extend the open-ended quality of the Bloomington School's research program.