Craig Davis (author)
Encyclopedia
Craig S. Davis is an international development and anti-corruption specialist, expert on the Muslim
world, and author of multiple publications, including the Middle East for Dummies . He has worked extensively in the developing world, primarily the Middle East and South Asia, as a government employee and USAID contractor. In 2009, he was the subject of accusations in Pakistan and left the country out of concerns for his own safety.
, where he earned two Phds, in Near Eastern language and culture and religious theory. He conducted fieldwork on Afghan education in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 1999-2000, as a Boren
graduate fellow.
, as an International Education Program Specialist for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs
. In July 2003 The Middle East for Dummies , a 316-page paperback part of the for Dummies series, was published.
For 10 months in 2003 and 2004, while employed by the US Department of Labor, working through the Coalition Provisional Authority
(CPA), he served as a Labor Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. In this role, he helped establish 26 vocational training centers around the country, rewrite labor laws, and reform government salaries. He was injured in the October 26, 2003 attack on the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad.
representative. The charge was initiated by Nation columnist Shireen Mazari and Ahmed Qureshi, a journalist and conspiracy theorist. As evidence, the similarity in acronyms between Creative Associates International, Inc. (CAII) and the Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) was cited. According to some reports, Davis was the victim of a campaign by the Pakistani government to blacklist certain journalists and NGO workers. Mazari raised the accusations when she worked for the The News International
. The US Embassy objected to the charges and the editorial leadership determined that the story was inaccurate. Mazari consequently left The News International to work for the Nation and decried US Ambassador Anne Patterson
for interfering in Pakistani media. Wall Street Journal reporter Matthew Rosenberg also left the country after similar allegations connecting him to Blackwater put his safety at risk.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
world, and author of multiple publications, including the Middle East for Dummies . He has worked extensively in the developing world, primarily the Middle East and South Asia, as a government employee and USAID contractor. In 2009, he was the subject of accusations in Pakistan and left the country out of concerns for his own safety.
Education
Davis studied at Indiana UniversityIndiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, where he earned two Phds, in Near Eastern language and culture and religious theory. He conducted fieldwork on Afghan education in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 1999-2000, as a Boren
National Security Education Program
The National Security Education Program is a U.S. federal government initiative in which U.S. citizens are given funding and training in critical languages "to serve the needs of U.S. national security and national competitiveness." Some funding comes in exchange for a commitment to U.S. federal...
graduate fellow.
Career in Government
In 2002, Davis joined the United States Department of LaborUnited States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
, as an International Education Program Specialist for the Bureau of International Labor Affairs
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
The Bureau of International Labor Affairs is an operating unit of the United States Department of Labor which manages the Department's international responsibilities. According to its mission statement:...
. In July 2003 The Middle East for Dummies , a 316-page paperback part of the for Dummies series, was published.
For 10 months in 2003 and 2004, while employed by the US Department of Labor, working through the Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
(CPA), he served as a Labor Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. In this role, he helped establish 26 vocational training centers around the country, rewrite labor laws, and reform government salaries. He was injured in the October 26, 2003 attack on the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad.
Work in International Development
In April 2005 Davis joined the USAID-funded Iraq Civil Society Program as Anti-Corruption Director. Despite significant challenges, including partner staff assassinations, he supported NGO programs that trained over 8,000 Iraqi officials on corruption and its mitigation and created a network of civil society organizations. After leaving Iraq, he served as the Director of Civil Society Programs at the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX)Allegations
While working Pakistan in 2009 for Creative Associates Inc., a USAID implementing partner, allegations were raised that Davis was a BlackwaterBlackwater Worldwide
Xe Services LLC, better known by its former names, Blackwater USA and Blackwater Worldwide, is a private military company founded in 1997 by Erik Prince and Al Clark.. Xe is currently the largest of the U.S. State Department's three private security contractors...
representative. The charge was initiated by Nation columnist Shireen Mazari and Ahmed Qureshi, a journalist and conspiracy theorist. As evidence, the similarity in acronyms between Creative Associates International, Inc. (CAII) and the Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) was cited. According to some reports, Davis was the victim of a campaign by the Pakistani government to blacklist certain journalists and NGO workers. Mazari raised the accusations when she worked for the The News International
The News International
The News International , published in tabloid size, is the largest English language newspaper in Pakistan. The News has an ABC certified circulation of 140,000. It is published from Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad...
. The US Embassy objected to the charges and the editorial leadership determined that the story was inaccurate. Mazari consequently left The News International to work for the Nation and decried US Ambassador Anne Patterson
Anne W. Patterson
Anne Woods Patterson is an American diplomat and career Foreign Service Officer. She currently serves as the United States Ambassador to Egypt. She previously served as acting United States Ambassador to the United Nations in 2005 and as United States Ambassador to Pakistan from July 2007 to...
for interfering in Pakistani media. Wall Street Journal reporter Matthew Rosenberg also left the country after similar allegations connecting him to Blackwater put his safety at risk.