NATIONAL NARRATIVE BUILDING: ROLE OF ACADEMIA, THINK TANKS AND MEDIA

Abstract

National Narrative is reflective of the national aspirations both at grand strategic level and operational level. It provides a framework from the state to the public to perform towards national goals. It comprises the strategic choices made by the individuals at helm of affairs and these choices lead the nation in a particular direction. As narrative building follows constructivism, it is a crafted world view which is presented to the nation to visualize and pursue. World over intelligentsia, academia, think tanks and media are very closely knit with the state machinery to propagate a narrative. However, a close examination reveals that in Pakistan, this serious exercise is not formalized. The role of academia, think tanks and media, which can be called ‘knowledge holders’ of society, is yet not actualized in Pakistan owing to short comings both at policy and execution level. The state alone which is the ‘power holder’ is not able to craft and propagate the national narrative. The article analyses and identifies certain deficiencies in the role of academia, think tanks and media in narrative building exercise and suggests some measures to improve their capabilities. Only a well thought out collaborative effort of ‘power holders’ and ‘knowledge holders’ would be able to provide the nation with a national narrative that is acceptable and workable.