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Shanthie Mariet D’Souza

Shanthie Mariet D’Souza

Dr. Shanthie Mariet D’Souza is the founder & president, Mantraya Institute for Strategic Studies (MISS), a senior research fellow, University of Massachusetts Amherst and visiting faculty at the Naval War College, Goa, India.

Dr. Shanthie Mariet D’Souza is a scholar, teacher, guide, consultant and researcher with specialization in International Relations, with more than two decades long experience of working in think tanks, universities, governmental and non-governmental sectors in Asia, North America, Australia and Europe. She is  a founder of Mantraya Institute for Strategic Studies (MISS); a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Public Policy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA; a visiting faculty and member of research & advisory committee at the Naval War College, Goa; an Affiliate at the Middle East Institute, Washington D.C.; a research fellow at WeltTrends-Institut für internationale Politik, Potsdam, Germany; an international advisor at the Nordic Counter Terrorism Network, Helsinki, Finland; an editorial board member of Small Wars & Insurgencies (Routledge: UK); an adviser for Independent Conflict Research and Analysis, London; an Expert at Duco and senior analyst at Wikistrat.

Dr. D’Souza has been a Fulbright-Nehru Visiting Chair at the School of Public Policy University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA (2024); a founding professor at the Kautilya School of Public Policy, Hyderabad (2021-2022); a board director at Regional Centre for Strategic Studies, Colombo (2018-22); a visiting research fellow at the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin (2022); a member, Board of Studies, School of International & Area Studies, Goa University (2021-24); a Non-Resident Scholar at the Middle East Institute, Washington D.C. (2020-25); a visiting research associate at the School of Business & Governance, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia (2017); a research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore (2010-14); an associate fellow, Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses, New Delhi (2006-10); a Fulbright fellow and visiting research associate at the South Asia Studies, The Paul H Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C. (2005-06). She has conducted field research in Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, Africa, Australia, Canada, the United States, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s North East.

As adviser, Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2015-16); an international election observer for the audit and recount of Afghanistan’s Presidential Runoff elections,( 2014); a senior transition consultant, United Nations Mine Action Service (2013), Kabul and external reviewer for the country programme of Action Aid International, Afghanistan (2011), she has worked with governmental and non-governmental sectors for more than a decade and conducted field based studies in various provinces of Afghanistan. 

Dr. D’Souza’s research interests and expertise include: Countering terrorism, insurgencies and violent extremism; politics of aid, development, gender and security in Afghanistan; women, peace and conflict studies; state and peace building in fragile states; security sector reform; international interventions, aid delivery and post-conflict stabilization; prospects for long term stabilization of Afghanistan; non-traditional security threats and crisis response in Asia; climate change, geopolitics of energy, global public health and public policy; India’s foreign, maritime and security policy; great power competition, emerging powers and the Indo-Pacific.

Among her most recent published work are edited books titled Countering Insurgencies and Violent Extremism in South and South East Asia (Cass Military Studies, Routledge: UK), Afghanistan in Transition: Beyond 2014?, co-edited books, Perspectives on South Asian Security and Saving Afghanistan. She has guest edited a special issue on “Countering insurgencies and violent extremism in South Asia” in Small Wars & Insurgencies (UK: Routledge), February 2017. She has contributed chapters to edited books, journal articles in international peer-reviewed journals, encyclopedias, yearbooks and regional surveys and opinion pieces in the media, including The Wall Street Journal, The Straits Times, The Business Times, Hindustan Times, Asian Age, The Hindu, Indian Express, Business Standard and others. She has been invited to speak at various international and national forums on key security, political and geopolitical trends in Asia.

Further details available at https://miss.org.in/team/

She can be reached at [email protected], [email protected]

 

Posts by Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
May 09, 2025

Connectivity and Energy Cooperation Key to Boosting India-Azerbaijan Relations

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
India's quest for a foothold in Central Asia and the South Caucasus, combined with Baku's desire for business and connectivity, could provide a much-needed opportunity to transform the bilateral relations.

April 25, 2025

Terror Attack Shatters Kashmir’s Myth of Peace: Voices From the Valley

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
New Delhi believed its own narrative – that peace had returned to the Kashmir Valley. That myth was shattered on April 22.
April 02, 2025

India’s Lagging Attempts to Contain Pollution: Bridging the Climate Commitment Gap 

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
As India’s attempt to represent the Global South in conversations with the Global North on climate change takes center stage, there is a clear need to take action at home.

March 27, 2025

The Limits of Trump’s Deal-making in Afghanistan

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
In return for the release of an American, the U.S. dropped bounties on three top-level Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani. But there are limits to potential Taliban-U.S. deals.

March 13, 2025

India’s Nascent Blue Economy: Structural Constraints and Climate Change Challenges

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
As the Indian government finalizes its blue economy policy, there is a clear case for open, inclusive, and transparent dialogue with all stakeholders.

February 26, 2025

The Fraying of the Taliban’s Counternarcotics Efforts

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Tracing the ebbs and flows of Afghanistan’s narco-economy, which reflects shifting Taliban priorities and global conditions.
February 13, 2025

India’s 2025 Budget: A Missed Opportunity to Meet Climate Targets

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
The country must engage in climate diplomacy while simultaneously making consistent and meaningful efforts at home. It has failed to do so.

January 28, 2025

Trump 2.0 and the Taliban’s Afghanistan

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Afghanistan, now under the Taliban, is no longer a conflict begging to be solved with a deal. It needs a more nuanced approach than the Trump administration may be capable of.

January 10, 2025

Cracks in Pakistan-Taliban Relations: Time for a New Alliance in Kabul?

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
While a reconciliation between the two estranged partners – the Taliban and Islamabad – seems impossible, the rift has opened up opportunities for New Delhi to step in. 

December 20, 2024

India’s Pathways to a Just Energy Transition

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
India’s battle against climate change and toward a just energy transition is saddled with myriad challenges. 

December 05, 2024

China-Pakistan’s ‘All Weather Friendship’ Gets Rebuff From Taliban

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Beijing has sought to press the Taliban, on behalf of Pakistan, to deal with the TTP. The Taliban remain unmoved. 
November 26, 2024

COP29: India’s Position Highlights the Deep Schisms in Climate Action

By Shanthie Mariet D’Souza
Differing national priorities and objectives have always been a roadblock in developing a unified approach in the world’s fight against climate change. 

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