Talk by Sharif Hozoori

Analyzing the situation of Afghanistan, its past struggle and instability, war and displacement, peace and conflict, scholars would argue that the external forces and power politics are influential and effective in articulation of events but the current research highlights a different scenario by proposing the role of political elites in bringing changes to the political environment. However, such change has a profound effect on domestic and foreign policy transformation as well. This study deals with the role of political elites in the changing domestic politics and transformation of foreign policy of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2014. It deals with two concepts: the political elite disunity and the political elite consensus. Accordingly, it tries to explain the two regimes: the Taliban’s first theocratic regime (1996-2001) and the democratic establishment after 2001. This study looks to answer that how political elite disunity contributed to the instability of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 which led to civil war and Islamization of foreign policy and how elite settlement and elite consensus led to democratic political establishment, domestic stability and caused for inclusionary foreign policy initiative post 9/11 in Afghanistan.

Sharif Hozoori is originally from Afghanistan. He holds PhD in International Relations from Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. His PhD thesis entitled Role of Political Elites in Foreign Policy Transformation: A Case Study of Afghanistan from 2001-2014. Mr Hozoori has earned his Master degree in International Relations from Department of International Relations, South Asian University in New Delhi. His dissertation was Radicalization of Muslims in South Asia: Implication for regional security. Upon his return to Afghanistan in 2019, He started teaching both in undergraduate and post graduates. At the same time, he has done administrative works as he was Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of Afghanistan University until recently before leaving the country in August 2021. Currently Mr. Hozoori is the IIE-SRF fellow and visiting scholar at South Asia Program, Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, Cornell University. His area of research is Afghanistan politics and foreign policy, ethnic identity, South Asia politics, cultural studies and conflict resolution and peace.