Impact of modernization on Pashtun culture and the role of Sen's capability approach

There have been suggestions from the literature that contemporary forces are straining the cultural harmony of Pashtuns in Pakistan, in addition to there being a need for a more holistic approach to development in the region. Therefore, this thesis attempts to answer two valuable questions: first, how is modernization impacting Pashtun culture, and second, is Amartya Sen's freedom-centered Capability Approach able to identify and resolve the challenges of modernization within the Pashtun context? Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen's Capability Approach—which sees human freedom as the centerpiece of development rather than the mere increase in material wealth--is a breakthrough in development studies. Due to the flexible applicability of Sen's approach, this thesis attempts to innovate from his ideas by evaluating the cultural "capabilities" of Pashtuns. Likewise, this work also critiques Sen's approach and philosophical assumptions; it concludes that his own normative worldview misses the deeper challenges of modernization. Field research was personally conducted in Pakistan for the purpose of this study--revealing primary knowledge of Pashtun culture and local perceptions. The results of this study suggest that certain cultural features of Pashtuns—their social village complex (Hujra) and traditional legal execution institution (Jirga) are facing challenges in modernity while their dynamic moral worldview system (Pakhtunwali) is at risk of losing its original significance. There are three reasons for this: urbanization, bureaucratization, and technology. This thesis utilized a mixed-method approach which consisted of both qualitative discourse, and opinion-based quantitative survey data. Yet the survey size was not large enough to make a conclusive claim—rather wishing that further studies may be inspired by this work. It is hoped that this research will benefit area and development studies in Pakistan, as well as inspire a much-needed application of Sen's Capability Approach within the context of preserving traditional cultures.