- Masood Ashraf Raja
-
Masood Ashraf Raja 
Native name مسعود اشرف راجہ Born 1965
Rawalpindi, PakistanResidence Denton, Texas Nationality Pakistani Education Doctor of Philosophy Alma mater Florida State University Occupation Assistant Professor of Postcolonial Literature Employer University of North Texas Website http://postcoloniality.org Originally from Pakistan, Dr. Masood Ashraf Raja (Urdu: مسعود اشرف راجہ) is an Assistant Professor of Postcolonial Literature and Theory at the University of North Texas[1] and the editor of Pakistaniaat: A Journal of Pakistan Studies,[2] a journal that he founded in 2009.[3] Besides teaching and writing about issues of postcoloniality, globalization, and political Islam, Raja also actively participates in the public debates[4] through his public writing on his two blogs[5] as well as other popular and scholarly websites.[6] Raja moved to the United States in 1996,[7] after ten years of service in the Pakistan Army as an Infantry officer.[8] Raja graduated with a Masters in literature from Belmont University[9] in 2002, and earned his Ph.D.[10] in Postcolonial Studies from Florida State University[11] in 2006, where he studied with Dr. Robin Truth Goodman.[12] While at Belmont University, Raja was awarded the Graduate Writing Award and at Florida State he was awarded the Davis Award for Best Graduate Student and Davis Award for best dissertation in 2005 and 2006 respectively.[13] A strong proponent of peace, social justice, and human rights, Raja hopes to foster a better understanding between his primary culture and rest of the world. Raja's last monograph, Constructing Pakistan, (Oxford University Press, 2010),[14] is an interesting explanation of the rise of Muslim national political identity during the British Raj and offers an innovative explanation of the genesis of the idea of Pakistan. Raja has also published extensively in his area of study and on general academic topics in various academic journals and anthologies.[15] Raja is also a member of the Advisory Committee (2009–12) of PMLA,[16] the premier journal of literature and languages and was also recently elected to a five year term on the Executive Committee of the South Asian Studies Group, Modern Language Association.[17] Besides his academic and popular writings, Raja has also actively presented his views at academic conferences[18] as well as through public talks.[19]
Recently, Raja has also contributed his views on various issues related to the Islamic world and Pakistan to newspapers such as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on a story on Osama bin Laden[20] and to Aljazeera English on a story about the Blasphemy law in Pakistan.[21]
Dr. Masood Ashraf Raja continues to contribute his thoughts on issues of social justice, political Islam, and issues of Human rights and is likely to become an important voice in the field of Humanities in general and on issues related to Pakistan and the Islamic world in particular.[22]
Publications
Raja has published extensively on issues related to postcolonial studies, political Islam, and about Pakistan and the region. Besides his academic work, Raja also writes poetry[23] and fiction.[24]
References
- ^ "Raja, Masood Ashraf (Faculty Profile)". Faculty.unt.edu. https://faculty.unt.edu/editprofile.php?pid=2314&onlyview=1. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "A Journal of Pakistan Studies". Pakistaniaat. http://pakistaniaat.org. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Monica Esquibel 09/16/2009 03:17 p.m. (2009-09-16). "English Department alum combats Pakistan stereotypes / In the News / News & Recognitions / The Graduate School / FSU - Florida State University The Graduate School". Gradstudies.fsu.edu. http://www.gradstudies.fsu.edu/News-Recognitions/In-the-News/English-Department-alum-combats-Pakistan-stereotypes. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Wicket, Sticky. "Political Apathy Crosses all Racial & Ethnic Barriers: Obama, President of this Nation, not just Minority Groups". USA Rise Up. http://www.usariseup.com/sticky-wicket-questions/political-apathy-crosses-all-racial-ethnic-barriers-obama-president-nation-n. Retrieved 2011-06-10.
- ^ http://pakistaniaat.net and http://postcoloniality.org
- ^ http://www.shafr.org/author/masoodraja/ and http://www.viewpointonline.net/reflections-by-an-ex-army-officer.html
- ^ "Masood A. Raja: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Masood-A.-Raja/e/B001K8UVCS/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Reflections by an ex-army officer by Masood Raja. "Reflections by an ex-army officer | ColumnNews". Viewpointonline.net. http://www.viewpointonline.net/reflections-by-an-ex-army-officer.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Courses Offered in the M.A. - Belmont University". Belmont.edu. http://www.belmont.edu/gradenglish/courses_offered_in_the_m.a_/index.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Title page for ETD etd-06132006-133645". Etd.lib.fsu.edu. 2006-05-12. http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-06132006-133645/. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "The English Department at Florida State University". English.fsu.edu. 2002-07-10. http://www.english.fsu.edu/alumni/alumni.php. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "The English Department at Florida State University". English.fsu.edu. http://www.english.fsu.edu/faculty/rgoodman.htm. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ The awards information is available on this page under "Honors and Recognition Section":"Raja, Masood Ashraf (Faculty Profile)". Faculty.unt.edu. https://faculty.unt.edu/editprofile.php?pid=2314&onlyview=1. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
- ^ "Oxford University Press: Constructing Pakistan: Masood Ashraf Raja". Oup.com. http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/HistoryWorld/Pakistan/?view=usa&ci=9780195478112. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ See a list of publications here: http://postcolonial.net/about/?id=2
- ^ "PMLA Advisory Committee". Mla.org. 2010-07-02. http://www.mla.org/comm_pmla_adv. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Discussion Group Executive Committees". Mla.org. 2011-01-10. http://www.mla.org/dgroupexeccomm. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "SDPI Conference". http://sdpi.org/sdpi-old/13thsdc/abstracts/religious_diversity.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Here is a selected list of public talks: http://postcolonial.net/about/?id=6
- ^ Batheja, Aman (2011-05-05). "North Texas Pakistanis cheer action against bin Laden | Dallas | News from Fort Worth, D". Star-telegram.com. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/05/05/3053726/north-texas-pakistanis-cheer-action.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Listening Post (2011-03-18). "What is all the buzz about Japan? - Listening Post". Al Jazeera English. http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/listeningpost/2011/03/2011318124919880942.html. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ More details about speaking engagements: http://www.charlijane.com/profile_Dr_Masood_Ashraf_Raja.htm and http://www.belmontvision.com.moses.com/news/2008/09/05/humanities-symposium-addresses-debate-discourse.1929/
- ^ "Spot On". Nashville Scene. 1999-07-05. http://www.weeklywire.com/ww/07-05-99/nash_music-notes.html/. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Postcolonial Studies". Postcolonial.net. 2011-01-30. http://postcolonial.net/about/?id=2. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
External links
Categories:- Living people
- Pakistani academics
- Pakistani bloggers
- Pakistani educationists
- Pakistani historians
- Pakistani literary critics
- Pakistani political writers
- Pakistani scholars
- Pakistani writers
- Postcolonialism
- Neocolonialism
- Islamic politics and Islamic world studies
- 1965 births
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
