By Katerina Anestaki, PhD Candidate,
Public Affairs
Since joining
the faculty of EPPS and the department of Public Affairs in 2009, Assistant
Professor Dr. Meghna Sabharwal has been very actively pursuing her research
interests in human resource management, workforce diversity and high-skilled
immigration among others.
Earlier this
year, her book “Public Personnel Administration,” made its debut. Co-written
with N. Joseph Cayer, Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University, this
comprehensive textbook will be useful for graduate programs. In addition to exploring the field of human resources administration in
the public sector, the authors particularly emphasize diversity and affirmative
action.
Now Dr.
Sabharwal has another book, “Public Administration in South Asia: India,
Bangladesh, and Pakistan” co-edited with Evan M. Berman, Professor of Public
Management & Director of Internationalization School of Government Victoria
University of Wellington, New Zealand. In a recent interview, I had the
opportunity to talk to her about her newest book.
Upon their meeting
at the 2010 ASPA Conference (American Society for Public Administration), Dr. Sabharwal
and Dr. Berman brought together their common interest in writing about public
administration in South Asia. In their book, they address the status and challenges
for public administration outside the American borders.
The two compiled
the work of leading local scholars that enriches the current literature by
shedding light on “that part of the world that works differently,” Dr.
Sabharwal said. In view of the similarities between India, Bangladesh, Pakistan
and, to a lesser extent, Sri Lanka, the editors provide a comprehensive analysis
of the public administration settings in that area of the world.
Dr.
Sabharwal specifically pointed out that “while public administration practice
and education have become considerably professionalized in the last decade, a
useful reference about public administration in these countries that is
sufficiently in-depth and well-rounded, is lacking.”
Beyond the
limits of the academic work of American scholars, Dr. Sabharwal highlights that
the focal point of the book is to offer a local perspective and pave the way to
further region-based comparative analyses. Countries in the South Asian region display
similar historical, political and governance background and thus, the book
becomes a useful tool for public administration specialists and practitioners interested
in reforms, public service and bureaucracy in the Indian subcontinent.
Dr. Sabharwal
indicated that when public administration books in such regions are written by
U.S. scholars, they tend to miss the regional perspective and distinctive
features. By following the imperatives and opportunities embedded in the new globalization
era, Dr. Sabharwal also emphasizes the “freedom of information” in the
countries mentioned in the book, a field where there is still room for greater
progress and advancement.
Dr.
Sabharwal underscores the efforts and editing challenges that she and Dr. Berman
encountered in their effort to meet the
international expectations and publishing criteria. But she added that they
were motivated by a desire to add to the content of public administration literature
in South Asia.
Overall, the result has been very rewarding given the positive reviews, including a book review in the latest volume of Public Administration Review.
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