The rational believer: choices and decisions in the madrasas of Pakistan

Abstract

The monograph draws on eighteen-month long fieldwork across eight-districts of Pakistan, covering 100 madrasas. It presents rich data to develop typology of the Pakistani madrasas, and explain their appeal for parents and students, their donor base and their alleged links with jihad using the analytical tools from New Institutional Economics framework. However, the primary contribution of the monograph is theoretical as it uses this empirical data on madrasas and jihad to advance our understanding of working of informal institutions and their relationship with formal institutions.