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Irfan Waheed Usmani

Irfan Waheed Usmani

Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Leftist Movements, Movements of Islamic Socialism, Post-colonial Pakistan, Research Methodology, Academic Writing, Historiography, and Kashmir
Contact Number: +923454267797

Education

  • Post Doc in History, University Of Arkansas, Fayetteville (Fayetteville, USA) 2024
  • PhD in History, South Asian Studies Program, National University Of Singapore (Singapore) 2016

Teaching Areas

Taught 38 courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, covering a broad range of subjects, including Islamic History, Ancient and Medieval Indian History, British Colonialism in South Asia, History of the Freedom Movement, History of Civilizations, Pakistan’s Political History, Pakistan’s Foreign Policy, Discourse of History, New Trends in History, International Relations, Political Economy, Islam and the West, World History, Global History of Colonialism, and Introduction to History.

Experience

From To Designation Firm/Institution
Oct 2016 Continue Assistant Professor Government College University Lahore
Jul 2007 Oct 2016 Lecturer (BS-18 Regular) Government College University Lahore
Aug 1999 Jul 2007 Lecturer (BS-17 Contract) Government College University Lahore
Jan 1998 May 1998 Assistant Editor Monthly, Namakdan (A Periodical Of Liberty Papers Ltd.)
Aug 1997 Dec 1997 Magazine Reporter Daily Azad
Jan 1995 Oct 2004 Article Writer And Member Of Editorial Board Weekly Taqazay, Lahore

Journal Papers

  • Khawaja, M. N., & Usmani, I. W. (2026). "Jamia Fathia (1875–2008): A Historical Study of Pluralism in a Madrasa in Lahore." Dyal Singh Journal of Humanities and Social Science , Vol. 4 (1) , pp. 1–12.
  • Akram, A., & Usmani, I. W. (2026). "Literary Resistance in the Progressive Tradition: The Fiction of Saeeda Gazdar." Himalayan Politics Journal , Vol. 2 (1) , pp. 39–50.
  • Akram, A., & Usmani, I. W. (2026). "Sultana’s Dream as a Utopian Imagination of Feminist Resistance in Twentieth-century India." UOS Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities , Vol. 10 (1) , pp. 113–131.
  • Rai, M. H., & Usmani, I. W. (2026). "The Role of Majlis-e-Shah Hussain in Promoting Punjabi Literary and Lingual Activism during 1964–1996." Sadiq Journal of Pakistan Studies , Vol. 6 (1) , pp. 58–79.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2025). "CPEC 2.0: Strategies to Maximize the Project’s Economic Dividends." Academia International Journal for Social Sciences , Vol. 4 (4) , pp. 27017–2715.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2025). "Framing the Focus: Crafting an Impressive Statement of the Problem." The Critical Review of Social Sciences Studies , Vol. 3 (1) , pp. 3998-4004.
  • Khawaja, M. N., & Usmani, I. W. (2025). "Majlis Siyanatul Muslimeen: Ashraf Ali Thanvi’s Vision of Muslim Communal Life in Colonial India and its Legacy in Pakistan (1930–1970)." Perennial Journal of History , Vol. 6 (1) , pp. 30–43.
  • Ahmad, S., & Usmani, I. W. (2025). "Mohammad Sarwar as a Biographer and Disseminator of Obaid Ullah Sindhi’s Ideology: A Historical Study." Social Science Review Archives , Vol. 3 (1) .
  • Usmani, I. W. (2025). "The Anatomy of CPEC: Economic Opportunities Versus Structural Challenges." Research Journal for Social Affairs , Vol. 3 (6a) , pp. 427–438.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2024). "Comparing the New Left: American and Western European Radical Movements, 1955–1975, from the Lens of World History." Advance Social Science Archive Journal , Vol. 2 (3) , pp. 80-85.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2023). "Literature review kay jadid rujhanat aur Urdu maqala nigari: Aik tanqidi mahakma." Majallah-e-Tahqiq: Research Journal of the Faculty of Oriental Learning , Vol. 44 (132) , pp. 7–77.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2023). "State of Press Freedom in Pakistan, c. 1947–59: A Historical Survey." Journal of Historical Studies , Vol. 9 (1) , pp. 391–434.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2021). "Literary Radicalism and the Tools of its Articulation: A case study of the Progressive Ventures in Films (1953–1971) in Pakistan." Journal of Punjab University Historical Society , Vol. 34 (1) , pp. 17–29..
  • Usmani, I. W. (2021). "Literary Radicalism and the Tools of its Articulation: Examining the Role of the Progressive Writers Association (PWA) between 1948 and 1954 in Pakistan." Journal of Punjab University Historical Society , Vol. 34 (2) , pp. 1–30.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2020). "Definition of the “Left” and the Problematic of Determining the Typologies of “Leftist Parties” in Pakistan." Journal of Punjab University Historical Society , Vol. 34 (2) , pp. 1–17.
  • Usmani, I. W., & Jamil, T. (2017). "Rawalpindi Conspiracy and the Leftist Movement." The Historian , Vol. 15 , pp. 1–74.
  • Usmani, I. W., & Jamil, T. (2017). "The Leftist Movement in West Punjab, 1947." The Historian , Vol. 15 , pp. 1–20.
  • Usmani, I. W., & Jamil, T. (2016). "Conceptualizing Decolonization." The Historian , Vol. 14 , pp. 1–20.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2016). "The Major Developments Affecting the Leftist Movement in Pakistan." The Historian , Vol. 14 , pp. 1–20.
  • Usmani, I. W., & Jamil, T. (2015). "Imperialism and Territoriality." The Historian , Vol. 13 , pp. 29–60.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2010). "History and Postmodern Challenges." The Historian , Vol. 8 (1) , pp. 3–38.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2009). "A Litany of Errors: Pakistan’s Kashmir Policy (1996–99)." The Historian , Vol. 7 (2) , pp. 23–42.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2009). "Bleeding Wound: Analyzing Pakistan’s Kashmir Policy (1989–95)." The Historian , Vol. 7 (1) , pp. 25–62.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2008). "An Inglorious End to a Glorious Adventure: Conceiving and Executing the Kargil Operation (1999)." The Historian , Vol. 6 (2) , pp. 93–113.
  • Usmani, I. W. (2005). "Historicizing Pakistan’s Kashmir Policy." The Historian , Vol. 3 (2) , pp. 27–57.

Awards/Achievements

  • Fulbright Award (2024), Fulbright Scholar Program.
  • NUS Research Scholarship (2010), National University of Singapore. The NUS Research Scholarship (“Scholarship”) is awarded to outstanding graduate students for research leading to a higher degree at the University.

Thesis/Research Supervisions

  • Adeeba Akram (2022), Ph.D.. Thesis: "The representation of Women in the Writings of Progressive literati (1957-1988)" (In Progress)
  • Mohsin Nadeem Khawaja (2022), Ph.D.. Thesis: "The History of Deoband in Urban Centers of Punjab" (In Progress)
  • Muhammad Ahsan (2022), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Police in Colonial Punjab (1849—1903)" (Completed)
  • Muhammad Bilal (2022), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Pervaiz Musharraf's Kashmir Policy (1999-2008)" (Completed)
  • Muhammad Hassan Rai (2022), Ph.D.. Thesis: "Literary Radicalism in Punjabi Language" (In Progress)
  • Rizwan Ahmed (2022), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Pakistan's Kashmir policy, its impact on politics in Azad Kashmir (1947-1991)" (Completed)
  • Saqlain Ahmad (2022), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Canal Colonization in Punjab: A Case Study of Tehsil Chiniot" (Completed)
  • Noman Adrees (2021), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Historicizing the Mohajirs Politics and Identity: A case study of MQM's political Activism 1979-1999" (Completed)
  • Faiqa Seemab (2020), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Representation of Women in Pakistani Print Media: Critical Discourse Analysis from Women Pages in Roznama Mashriq (1963-1977)" (Completed)
  • Adil Gohar (2016), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Historicizing British Tribal Policies Towards Waziristan (1849-1947)" (Completed)
  • Khansa Janjua (2007), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Discourse Analysis of Shibli as Historian Biographer: A case Study of Seerat-un Nabi, Al-Mamoon and Al-Farooq" (Completed)
  • Nayyer Abbas (2007), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Civil-Military Relations in Pakistan: A Case Study of the Era of Benazir Bhutto’s First Stint as Prime Minister" (Completed)
  • Noreen Amanat Ali (2007), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Politics of Centralization in Pakistan (1947—1951): A Case Study of Jinnah Liaquat Period" (Completed)
  • Samina Akbar (2007), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "The Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case 1951: An Analytical Study" (Completed)
  • Munnawar Abbas (2006), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Modes of Domination and Subordination in the Light of Ranajit Guha’s Vision, Dominance without Hegemony: A case Study of Dominant Biradaris of Tehsil Chiniot District Jhang" (Completed)
  • Sehar Fakhar (2006), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Fashion of the Mughals" (Completed)
  • Zulfiqar Ali Mohal (2006), MS/MPhil. Thesis: "Tribal Invasion of Kashmir: An Analytical Study." (Completed)