Political violence in cities isn't just about hate—it's often a calculated career move that the government actually rewards.
March 25, 2026
Original Paper
The Landscape of Mohajir Politics of Urban Sindh
SSRN · 6195099
The Takeaway
Common narratives blame Karachi's instability on 'senseless' ethnic tension or urban decay. This research reveals that violence is actually a structured outcome where political actors are systematically rewarded by the government for their coercive capacity, making violence the most logical way to gain power and autonomy.
From the abstract
<div> I realized that Karachi’s political violence should not be understood solely as an outcome of ethnic polarization or urban poverty. Instead, it must be examined as a structured outcome of state preferences and political selection. When political actors are rewarded for coercive capacity and punished for democratic autonomy, violence becomes a rational and durable form of political engagement. The result is not merely instability, but the transformation of political life into a system of co