Mustafa, Daanish
Daanish Mustafa
Dr. Daanish Mustafa is a geographer focusing on water resources and environmental hazards in North and Central America and Central and South Asia. He is a critical geography professor at King’s College London. His academic pursuits encompass studies in water resources, the intersection of hazards and development geography, and geographical analysis related to violence and terrorism. Dr. Mustafa has over 40 publications in geography and resource management journals.
“Environmentalism is about people and our relationship with each other and the non-human world. It’s about poor people’s livelihood, health, access to nutrition, water, biodiversity, and ecological services.” - Dr. Daanish Mustafa, 2023
Mustafa, D., G. Nyaupane, K. Shrestha, C. Buzinde, D. Thanet, and V. Vandever 2021. Scalar politics of indigenous waterscapes in Navajo Nation and Nepal: Conservation and Development. Environment and Planning E: Society and Nature. DOI: 10.1177/25148486211007853
Mustafa, D. (2005). The production of an urban hazardscape in Pakistan: Modernity, vulnerability, and the range of choice. Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 95(3), 566-586.
Mustafa, D. 2013. Water Resources Management in a Vulnerable World: The Hydro-hazardscapes of Climate Change. I. B. Tauris: London (UK).
Mustafa, D., & Qazi, M. U. (2007). Transition from karez to tubewell irrigation: development, modernization, and social capital in Balochistan, Pakistan. World Development, 35(10), 1796-1813.
Mustafa, D., Akhter, M., & Nasrallah, N. (2013). Understanding Pakistan’s water-security nexus. Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace.
Dr. Daanish Mustafa’s early life was deeply rooted in the picturesque mountains of Kashmir, Pakistan. Growing up, he fetched water, bathed in the nearby streams, and lived in a mud house shared with his grandparents. These formative years instilled in him a profound connection with the natural world.
During his initial years of education, he encountered a remarkable teacher, Ms. Saleema Aziz, whose geography lessons ignited a fascination for the subject in him. Despite the popularity of pursuing an MBA degree among his peers, Dr. Mustafa remained steadfast in his passion for geography. Fortunately, a life-changing opportunity came in the form of a full scholarship to pursue a geography education at Middlebury College in the United States. To make this dream a reality, his father had to make substantial sacrifices to fund his airline tickets. Dr. Mustafa completed his Bachelor of Arts in Geography in 1991.
After completing his undergraduate studies, Dr. Mustafa returned to Pakistan briefly before venturing back to the United States. He went on to earn his Master’s in Geography from the University of Hawai’i Manoa in 1995. He then moved to Colorado and earned his Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Colorado in 2000. These academic pursuits marked significant milestones in his journey of knowledge and discovery.
After completing his bachelor’s degree, Dr. Mustafa returned to Pakistan to work as a cartographer for a developmental consulting firm. In this first role, he quickly realized that the job significantly differed from what he imagined and did not involve his aspirations of collaborating with social scientists and environmentalists. To pursue his calling, he returned to the United States to pursue graduate studies.
During his graduate education, Dr. Mustafa found that urban studies and developmental geography did not align with his academic passions. He sought a more practical and regionally-rooted approach that resonated with his homeland. He studied physical science and human geography, through which he engaged in conversations about the relationship between the environment and society that were gaining momentum in the 1990s. His fortunate exposure to experts from diverse backgrounds in geography and physical sciences enriched his academic journey.
After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Mustafa had difficulty obtaining an academic position in the United States. Eventually, he found his place within the academic community. Dr. Mustafa was a faculty at the University of Colorado, an Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of South Florida – St. Petersburg, and a Visiting Assistant Professor of Geography at George Mason University.
In 2006, Dr. Mustafa began working at King’s College London, marking a new chapter in his research and teaching career. He joined the Department of Geography and, in 2019, was promoted to full professor. He found a heightened environmental consciousness within British academia, an environment that resonated with his deep-rooted belief that environmental issues are fundamentally human issues. For him, these issues encompass disadvantaged communities’ livelihoods, health, and survival. Dr. Mustafa is fascinated by the stark contrast between the framing of environmental questions in the global South and mainstream Western narratives.
As a co-author, Dr. Mustafa contributed significantly in developing Pakistan’s initial climate change response strategies. He was also the lead author for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Pakistan’s five-year flood response strategy. His research extends to Nepal and India, where he explored climate change adaptation and resilience challenges. Furthermore, he has engaged in policy-related endeavors with organizations such as DfID, International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Stimson Centre, and the United States Institute for Peace (USIP).
Dr. Mustafa wrote extensively about climate and environmental justice issues faced by Pakistan. In a recent article, he contrasted the dominant Western approach to “water as simply a ‘resource’ for irrigation, water supply, and sanitation” with Pakistani views, “To them, rivers were living entities with their moods and regimes with no two days the same” (Mustafa, 2022).
His academic journey is a testament to his dedication to bridging the gap between environmental science and social issues, all while nurturing a nuanced understanding of the varying perspectives on environmental challenges around the world.
As an educator, researcher, and advocate, Dr. Mustafa works tirelessly to address pressing global challenges. His work inspires future generations of geographers, environmentalists, and changemakers. Through his academic pursuits and advocacy, he strives to make a lasting impact on our understanding of the environment and its relationship with society.
Dr. Mustafa’s journey in academia and geography was profoundly shaped by the mentorship of individuals who played pivotal roles in his career. Early on, his 7th-grade teacher, Saleema Aziz, ignited his passion for geography and shaped his identity as a geographer from an early age.
Throughout his academic pursuits, Dr. Mustafa received valuable mentorship from his undergraduate physical geography teacher, Dr. Robert Churchill, at Middlebury and his Ph.D. supervisor, James L. Wescoat, Jr. Dr. Wescoat, a distinguished scholar who recently retired from MIT, was a guiding light in Dr. Mustafa’s academic journey. Under his instruction, Dr. Mustafa delved deep into the intricate web of non-human relations, enriching his understanding of the world.
In addition to Dr. Wescoat, Edward Said emerged as another influential mentor in Dr. Mustafa’s intellectual development. Said’s teachings introduced Dr. Mustafa to the complex concepts of Orientalism and the distinctions between the global North and the global South. This mentorship broadened Dr. Mustafa’s perspective, leading him to appreciate how humans perceive and engage with the world.
The profound impact of these mentors underscores the transformative power of mentorship in shaping Dr. Mustafa’s career, identity, and the rich tapestry of knowledge he has woven throughout his academic journey.
Dr. Mustafa shares his knowledge by engaging in teaching and mentoring activities with aspiring students and emerging professionals. His pedagogical approach goes beyond conventional instruction; he encourages students to perceive the world through fresh and innovative lenses. He aptly says, “I can impart rationality, but I can’t teach the art of imagination” (2023). Driven by the joy of cultivating creative thinking, he guides students in exploring challenges from multifaceted viewpoints, fostering the belief that nothing is preordained. He empowers them to recognize that they are not merely observers but active participants in addressing issues, capable of being both the problem and the solution.
Dr. Mustafa offers valuable advice to young professionals, particularly individuals from diverse backgrounds, emphasizing the importance of taking immense pride in their unique stories. He encourages them to embrace the deep emotions and connections their communities have shared with the natural world, using these sentiments to inspire their interactions with the environment.
In the environmental realm, Dr. Mustafa emphasizes solidarity. He highlights that Native Americans are never alone because they know they are integral to the larger ecosystem. To him, loneliness is a significant affliction. By recognizing our intrinsic connection to the non-human world, we can find solace in the understanding that we are never truly alone. This perspective helps bridge the gap between humanity and the environment, reinforcing how the natural world is an inherent part of our identity.
Mustafa, Daanish. (2022, September 10). Decolonising Water. https://decolonisegeography.com/blog/2022/09/decolonising-water/.
SOANAS. n.d. Daanish Mustafa. Retrieved September 12, 2023 from https://soanas.org/aurthor/professor-daanish-mustafa/.
Survey and interviews conducted by Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative staff. 2022-2023. Yale University-School of the Environment. New Haven, Connecticut.