Defence & Strategic Studies (DSS) is a department in the Quaid-i-Azam University

Quaid-i-Azam University

The Quaid-i-Azam University is a public, research university in Islamabad Capital Territory of Pakistan. It was initially founded as the "University of Islamabad" in July 1967...

; Islamabad

Islamabad

Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...

. It is the only civil-military educational institute in Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

 that deals with the study of defence

Military

A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...

 and strategy

Strategy

Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...

.

History

The department was founded in 1980 by the scholar Dr. Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema, former Chairperson of the Department of International Relations (IR), QAU, and President of the Islamabad Peace Research Institute. Because of Dr Cheema's previous close association with the IR department the department of DSS is considered as extension and brain child of IR department. However, since its inception the two departments have been rivals. Former students are employee with various organizations in Pakistan.

Chairpersons

Dr. Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema (1980)

Brig. Abdul Basit (1981)

Brig. SK Malik (1984)

Dr. Shirin S Mazari (August, 1988)

Dr. Zafar Iqbal Cheema (1994)

Dr. Syed Rifaat Hussain (2000)

Mr. Rasheed Khalid (Caretaker/In charge-chairperson; April 2002 to August 2003)

Dr. Syed Rifaat Hussain (September 2003 to February 2004)

Mr. Rasheed Khalid (Caretaker/Incharge-chairperson; August 2003 to October 2005)

Dr. Zafar Iqbal Cheema (2005–2008)[He is also Dean of Social Sciences took over as Chairperson of the Department.]

Dr. Syed Rifaat Hussain (Dec 1st, 2008)

Programs

The Department offers M.Sc, MPhil & PH.d degrees to both civilians & military personnel. M.Phil programs started in 1998-1999 and PhD programme was first advertised for HEC-qualified candidates as well as the general public in December 2004. The Department now offers admission in M.Sc, M.Phil and Ph.D programmes twice a year on the basis of a semester system.

MSc & MPhil are based on 2 year programs (4 semesters).

The academic training imparted by the Department's degree program is geared towards the development of requisite academic knowledge, analytical ability for evaluation of national, regional and international strategic environments and policies.

Civil-military institute

The Pakistan armed forces form a small but significant representation in as well as for the department. Professional soldiers join as students and also as teachers. The presence of armed forces personnel provides better understanding of military affairs to the civilian students while the civilian presence redirects minds of military personnel to civil & political affairs. The Department Faculty, in addition to its regular teaching, contributes research articles to various professional journals and delivers lectures at the National Defense University

National Defense University

The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...

, Foreign Services Academy, Joint Services Staff College Islamabad and Staff College Quetta.

Faculty

Some of the faculty members include:

1. Dr. Syed Rifaat Hussain Chairperson/ Professor Ph.D. (USA)
2. Dr. Nazir Hussain Associate Professor Ph.D. (Pakistan) M.Sc. (DSS) QAU
3. Mr. Rasheed Khalid Assistant Professor M.Phil (U.S. Studies) QAU; M.Sc. (I.R.) QAU
4. Mr. Jamil Raza Assistant Professor M.Phil (U.S. Studies) QAU; M.Sc. (DSS) QAU
5. Dr. M. Nasrullah Mirza Assistant Professor Ph.D. (Germany), M.Phil (I.R.) QAU; M.Sc. (DSS) QAU
6. Ms. Shabana Fayyaz Assisatnt Professor M.A., Birmingham, UK; M.Sc. (I.R.) QAU
7. Ms. Salma Malik
   Salma Malik
   Salma Malik is teaching at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad.- Biography :Salma Malik was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. She has studied at Islamabad College for Girls and then at FG College F-7/2, Islamabad, from where she completed her Bachelors...
   
     Lecturer M.Phil (DSS), QAU; M.Sc. (DSS) QAU
8. Ms. Saira Yamin Lecturer M.Sc. George Mason University, USA
9. Ms. Andlib Hussaini Lecturer MLitt ,Kings College, University of Aberdeen, UK;M.Sc. (DSS) QAU
10. Mr. M Sadiq Lecturer M.Phil (DSS) QAU
11. Mr. Mohammad Naveed Lecturer M.Phil (DSS) QAU

In addition, various scholars, former students, research fellows from prominent research organizations & military personnel teach as visiting faculty.

Courses offered

Core Courses (Not the complete list):

• War
  War
  War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
  
  
• Evolution of Strategic Thought
• International Politics Since 1945
• National Power & Threat Perception
• Research Methodology
• Dimensions of Modern Strategy
• Dynamics of Pakistan's Foreign & Defence Policy
• Economics of Defence
• Nuclear Proliferation
• Arms Control & Disarmament
  Disarmament
  Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms...
  
  
• Use of Force & International Law
  International law
  Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
  
  
• Conflict Analysis & Conflict Resolution
  Conflict resolution
  Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
  
  
• Terrorism
  Terrorism
  Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
  
  
• Peace Studies
• Military Geography
• Guerilla Warfare
• Crisis Management

Regional Study Courses (Not the complete list):

• Strategic Dynamics of South Asia
  South Asia
  South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
  
  
• Regional & Extra Regional Powers in Central Asia
  Central Asia
  Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
  
  
• Internal Dynamics of Central Asia*Strategic Dynamics of West Asia
• Making of Arab & Israeli Defence Policies
• The Making of Indian Defense & Foreign Policies

Special Offered Subjects (offered occasionally):

• Media, Information Technology
  Information technology
  Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
  
   & Security Policy
• War & Strategy in Islam
  Islam
  Islam . The most common are and .   : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
  
  
• Military Intelligence/Counter Intelligence
• Revolutionary Warfare
• Warfare on Land, Sea and Air
• Technology and Warfare

Seminar on Contemporary Issues in Defense and Strategic Studies:

• Seminars involve study methods and students selecting a subject of their own choice and presenting a thesis and presentation on it at the end of their degree program.

Seminars

The department arranges two forms of seminars. One is by guest scholars, experts, military personnel & other professionals on weekly basis, while the other is conducted by students of MSc program at the end of their final semesters where each student has to submit his/her thesis paper & give presentations.

Some of the seminars made by scholars, experts, military personnel & other professionals include (1999-2000 list):

• "Globalization: Challenges and Opportunities" by Ms. Amra Saeed, Senior Research Analyst, Institute of Regional Studies on September 30, 1999.
• "China in South Asian Security" by Dr. Maqsood ul Hasan Nuri, Senior Research Analyst, Institute of Regional Studies on October 21, 1999.
• "Indian Elections 1999: Implications and Prospects" by Prof. Khalid Mehmood on October 28, 1999.
• "Europe in an Emerging World Order" by Prof. Francisco Leita, Faculty of Law, University of Bologna, Italy on December 17, 1999.
• "Changing American Interests in South Asia" by Prof. Rodney Jones on February 26, 2000.
• "Nuclear Command and Control: Lesson from Cold War
  Cold War
  The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
  
  " by Dr. Shaun Gregory on February 29, 2000.
• "Biological and Psychological Theories of War" by Dr. Tariq Rehman, Associate Professor, National Institute of Pakistan Studies on May 3, 2000.
• "Soviet Military Intervention in Afghanistan Revisited" by Afrasiab Khattak, Chairman, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on May 11, 2000.
• "Democracy?" by Robert D. Kaplan, Contributing Editor, THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY, on May 13, 2000.
• "Pak-US Relations" by Mr. Zamir Akram, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Pakistan, Washington DC on May 25, 2000.

The Department organized an International Conference on "Peace and Security in South Asia After India Pakistan Nuclear Tests" in collaboration with Hains Siedel Stiftung (Germany) December 3-05, 1998

Study trips

Apart from regular teaching & seminars the department also takes its students to study trips to various military facilities & related areas. Some of the trips have included visits to Pakistans Navy submarines, Heavy Industries Texila (HIT) (where Pakistan produces its main battle tanks), and air force bases.

In addition, students are encouraged to attend seminars in other departments of QAU as well as other universities & research institutes.