Afghanistan

Taliban and Democracy in Afghanistan

18 October 2019

Panel discussion with Antonio Giustozzi, Sarah Ashraf, Chris Sands and Nilanjan Sarkar. Discussing how a sixteen-year-long war has transformed the Taliban in Afghanistan into a formidable military machine.

Listen to the podcast here.

Friends, Enemies, or just Neighbours? The Afghanistan, Pakistan and India Triangle

5 June 2019 

Panel discussion with Sarah Ashraf, Mukulika Banerjee, Elisabeth Leake and Avinash Paliwal examining the Afghanistan-Pakistan-India triad, the geopolitical and economic motivations for an increasing Indian role in Afghanistan, the effect, if any, of this on Pakistan’s foreign policy towards Afghanistan, whether the triangle is a reason for continued instability in the region, if India is simply exploring economic opportunities with a neighbour or, as some in Pakistan fear, is India attempting to ‘encircle’ their rival?

Listen to the podcast here.

Photo Credit:

Pixabay_Charly_7777 - https://pixabay.com/photos/moped-motorcycle-handlebars-four-2252091/

'2019 is an important year for Afghanistan'

With Presidential elections in 2019, Afghanistan is set for yet another pivotal political year; security, economic development and regional cooperation are high on the country’s agenda. The editor of South Asia@LSE Chris Finnigan caught up with Ahmad Naveed Noormal (First Secretary, Embassy of Afghanistan, London) to discuss last year’s parliamentary elections, how Afghanistan is going through a crucial period of transformation, and the challenges that lie ahead.

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Afghanistan in Global Affairs: New Histories and Perspectives

South Asia Centre hosted a Roundtable Discussion (in collaboration with the Department of International Relations) on 19 October 2017, which brought together experts on the country showcasing new research, histories, and perspectives on Afghanistan in international affairs.

Listen to the podcast here

Migration and Belonging of Afghans in South Asia

Inspired by Rabindranath Tagore’s short story 'Kabuliwala' (1892), photographers Moska Najib and Nazes Afroz spent three years capturing the lives of the Kabuliwalas of Kolkata. Chris Finnigan talks to Moska about how their new exhibition in London reveals how generations of Afghan migrants have preserved their Pashtun identities in their new homeland.

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Democracy and Legitimacy in Afghanistan

The success and sustainability of Afghanistan’s transition to democratic rule continues to shape regional politics in South Asia, and remains a core concern of international actors seeking to justify 15 years of intervention. On 2 March 2017 the Centre hosted a Roundtable Discussion that considered the manner in which legitimacy in Afghanistan has been perceived by outside actors, taking stock of current and future prospects of Afghanistan’s democratic institutions. Expert speakers included Martin Bayly (LSE), Hameed Hakimi (Chatham House), and Anna Larson (SOAS); the event was chaired by Mukulika Banerjee (LSE). 

Lsiten to a podcast of the event here