I am a DPhil student in Politics at St Peter's College, University of Oxford.

My research explores the instrumentalisation of law in processes of democratic backsliding, with a focus on anticipating legal vulnerabilities, corresponding authoritarian strategies, and sources of democratic resilience.

Zahid Yaqub is a PhD Scholar at the University of Karachi Pakistan, specializing in the study of Soft Power in International Relations. His doctoral research, titled Israeli Soft Power Application: Lessons for Pakistan, examines the strategic use of soft power through the theoretical framework developed by Joseph Nye Jr. His work places particular emphasis on how states craft influence through culture, diplomacy, values, and global engagement, and how Pakistan can enhance its own soft power capabilities.