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Muslim states such as Turkey and Pakistan face a unique set of challenges in constructing consolidated democratic systems. In order to understand the prospects for democratic deepening in these two states we compare the interaction of liberal and illiberal institutions in each context. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August of 2008 former General Pervez Musharraf resigned from his position as Pakistan’s President under calls for his impeachment. Why did Musharraf resign and what does this act signal for the future of democratic and military politics in Pakistan? From its inception in 1947 Pakistan has struggled between the twin impulses of democracy and authoritarianism. While religion may play a role in Pakistan’s political instability I do not believe that Pakistan’s reliance on authoritarianism can simply be explained as an outcome of the country’s religiosity. If Pakistan’s religious character is not the key to its unstable democracy then what is? I argue that a combination of military strength, civil institutional weakness, and international pressure, continues to place undue burden on Pakistan’s attempts to create a democratic state. Though Pakistan’s Islamic nature plays a role in destabilizing the state, through sectarian violence or external conflicts, it is the military that continues to intervene in democratic politics, not religious organizations. Through a historical analysis of political events I tease out the competing institutions within Pakistan that have either helped or hindered the establishment of democratic norms. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since 1987 the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) have used the tactic of suicide bombing over 200 times in the course of their conflict with the Sri Lankan government. In that time the LTTE has emerged as the only effective representative of the Tamil population in the North. Moreover, the LTTE has begun the process of peaceful negotiation with the Sri Lankan government. How did the LTTE successfully move towards a political solution to conflict while maintaining its revolutionary character? What role has suicide bombing played in the evolution of the LTTE? Finally, what can the particular case of the Tamil Tigers tell us about the use of suicide-bombing, and other suicide missions in general? This paper argues that suicide bombing played an important role in the evolution of the LTTE into a political organization on two levels. First, the use of suicide bombing showcased the lengths to which the LTTE would go for their cause both domestically and internationally. Second, the LTTE has utilized suicide bombing to inculcate a strong sense of internal group cohesion through the symbolic resonance of these acts. This in turn leads to a high level of individual commitment among Tamils in the North. The paper will focus on the effect that suicide bombing has on the internal dynamics of the LTTE, including the process through which suicide bombers are chosen, and how these bombers are portrayed after their missions. Many theorists posit that violence does not work in attaining political outcomes. However, groups continue to use violent tactics in political mobilization. The LTTE's use of suicide bombing highlights how violent tactics can and do mobilize internal group support. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]