Expert Insights: Navigating the Intersection of Digital Governance and Human Rights in South Asia

Insight by Dr. Andrew Hyunwoo Kim

The Sundar Singh Institute had recently featured an expert analysis by Dr. Andrew Hyunwoo Kim, who had critically examined the evolving landscape of digital governance in South Asia. In his contribution, Dr. Kim had illuminated the intricate balance that governments in the region had needed to strike between embracing technological innovation and safeguarding civil liberties.

Drawing upon recent developments, he had focused particularly on the widespread implementation of digital identification systems—such as Aadhaar in India—and had unpacked their implications for privacy, surveillance, and social inclusion. His analysis had emphasized how these digital infrastructures, while promising efficiency and modernization, had also risked marginalizing vulnerable populations and undermining fundamental rights if left unchecked.

Dr. Kim had argued for the formulation of a more nuanced and ethically grounded regulatory framework—one that had not only supported technological advancement but had also upheld international human rights standards. He had urged South Asian policymakers to adopt governance mechanisms rooted in transparency, accountability, and participatory oversight.

His insights had resonated strongly with scholars, digital rights advocates, and policy practitioners alike, offering a rigorous, timely intervention into one of the most pressing governance challenges in the region.

September 15, 2024

Collaborative Workshop on Regional Security Dynamics

The Sundar Singh Institute was the site of a multidisciplinary taught workshop about developments in South Asian regional security, collaboratively sponsored by the Center for South Asian Studies, UC Santa Cruz. Teachers, academics, and policy experts in the field of regional security convened to evaluate the evolving geopolitical landscape of South Asia from a multidisciplinary perspective. Conclusions ranged from international relations complexities—border disputes, issues of maritime security, and international partnerships—to an opportunity for response and conflict resolution and avenues of collaboration. Such a sharing of information led to a highly effective collaborative assessment for subsequent research and policy development.

The Implications of the Himalayan Glacial Melt

Published: August 21, 2024

A research brief from the Sundar Singh Institute evaluated the accelerated glacial melting in the Himalayas, alarming issues for South Asia’s water resource equilibrium and agriculture. “High-Altitude Glaciers of the Himalayas: A Ticking Time Bomb for River Basins in South Asia,” written by a team led by Prof. Helena von Strauss and Dr. Ravi Iyer, aimed to investigate how the accelerated retraction of glaciers would impact larger river basins like the Ganges, Brahmaputra, and Indus systems.

The hydrological modeling results combined with socio-economic vulnerability assessments showed that with the loss of glacial mass came detrimental impacts on not only seasonal water availability but also on livelihoods reliant upon rural irrigation. Furthermore, the research assessed the likelihood of increased transboundary water conflicts as riparian countries—India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bhutan—might fail to adopt proper inclusive governance.

Therefore, the brief sought to recommend various policymaking approaches relative to proper water resource management, highlighting sustainable practices and the need for bilateral and trilateral facilitation between India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Findings had an appeal to the International Water Policy Forum, and the brief was sought out by many water authorities in the region attempting to seek plans for adjustment and resiliency.

August 30, 2024

Appointment of Professor of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, Dr. Anjali R. Kapoor

New Faculty Announcement by the Sundar Singh Institute

We’re proud to welcome Dr. Anjali R. Kapoor as the new Professor of Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development. A prominent expert in interdisciplinary environmental governance, urban sustainability, and climate justice, Dr. Kapoor is a welcomed addition with a wealth of past research, policy determination, and active scholarly engagement in the field.

Prior to joining this Institute, she was in tenured faculty positions in addition to institutional advisory roles in globally recognized organizations focused on implementation strategies for sustainable resource distribution and urban development equity. Her new role is a critical component to this Institute’s ongoing and anticipated future work of engaged, transformative scholarship in the nexus between environmental sustainability and human equity. She will serve as a leader in positioning the Institute along new ways of strategic development and growth of intrainstitutional and extrainstitutional progress in research and policy.

Political Instability in Pakistan: Causes and Consequences

Originally Published: July 12, 2024

The Sundar Singh Institute had published a comprehensive analysis entitled “Political Instability in Pakistan: Causes and Consequences”, which had examined the structural and immediate factors that had contributed to the country’s prolonged political unrest. Led by Dr. David A. Chatterjee, a senior scholar in comparative politics and South Asian governance, the study had provided an empirically grounded and analytically nuanced exploration of the evolving crisis.

The report had traced the deep-rooted tensions that had persisted between Pakistan’s civilian institutions and its military establishment, highlighting how these power struggles had undermined democratic consolidation. It had also evaluated the severe economic downturn that had exacerbated public discontent, and had assessed the growing influence of social movements, particularly among youth and marginalized communities, in reshaping political narratives.

Dr. Chatterjee’s findings had offered a balanced and cautiously optimistic assessment of potential strategies for stabilization. He had underscored the critical importance of fostering inclusive governance, restoring institutional legitimacy, and engaging international actors in support of democratic processes. The analysis had subsequently been cited in high-level policy deliberations during the South Asian Regional Cooperation Conference, reflecting its scholarly and practical relevance.

July 25, 2024

Launch of the South Asia Policy Review Journal

The Sundar Singh Institute, with this publication, launches a quarterly journal called South Asia Policy Review to meet the demand for critical policy research relevant to the region and brings to print this collection of relevant articles based, otherwise, on disciplinary peer-reviewed scholarship and general interest.

This first issue contains peer-reviewed articles on structural economic reform and institutional governance, as well as a policy framework for regional cooperation. The South Asia Policy Review hopes an interdisciplinary audience of scholars and practitioners will engage with it as it adds to the greater body of discourse to entice policy innovation and development strategy for South Asia.

International Conference on Climate Change Adaptation

June 10, 2024

Sundar Singh Institute hosted an international conference on climate change adaptation solutions in South Asia. Scholars, policymakers, and practitioners attended from across the region and the world to explore interdisciplinary approaches through the lens of South Asian localized knowledge and development to make a difference in the global climate crisis.

Panels reviewed a range of options—from ecosystem-based adaptation to climate-resilient infrastructure to policy integration—to emphasize environmental vulnerability related to poverty levels and socio-economic disproportionately negative effects. Findings were presented as case studies emerging from both research initiatives and community engagement. This conference champions the South Asian Institute of Policy and Research’s commitment to sustained academic growth that supports implementation based upon research for solution-driven, locale-specific integration with a global perspective.

A Conversation with Dr. Priya Deshmukh: Gender Equity in South Asia

Originally Published: June 5, 2024

An intimate lecture with Dr. Priya Deshmukh during my time at the Sundar Singh Institute was with one of the foremost gender studies scholars and human rights activists in South Asia. This comprehensive take on the topic for applied research was a unique opportunity between extensive study and fieldwork. Dr. Deshmukh evaluated where concrete steps have been taken toward gender equity both in a quantifiable range and qualitative range throughout the South Asian experience.

However, she unfortunately ended up discussing more structural and cultural barriers that rendered no social change transformative. For example, while legislation spanning reproductive rights, political agencies, and workplace harassment has occurred in the last few years, Dr. Deshmukh noted that jurisdictional implementation occurred via geographical/international/national/regional boundaries.

In addition, she assessed how geographically specific efforts and intersectional feminist collaborations are critical to keeping the issues in the public sphere—and publicized media—to ensure action could be taken. Ultimately, she determined that transformative efforts against patriarchal institutions must come from changes in the educational curriculum, teacher intervention, and policy efforts from the ground up.

Pertinent to her background in gender studies and her community involvement, Dr. Deshmukh offered access to a multidimensional perspective of such realities beyond just the lecture. The lecture and highlights helped realize the mission of the Sundar Singh Institute to foster a more educated, dialogue-based awareness of justice, equity, and human development in South Asia.