Learning in the chaos: A political economy analysis of education in Afghanistan

© 2018, The Author(s) 2018. Afghanistan is often characterised as a ‘failed’ or ‘fragile’ state in terms of state ‘functionality’, lacking in capacity to provide security and wellbeing to its citizens and failing to prevent violent conflict and terrorism. Since 2001, education has become a major victim of Afghanistan’s protracted crisis that involves international military interventions, fragile democracy and growing radicalisation. Drawing upon qualitative interviews with educational officials and practitioners in Afghanistan and critically examining the literature in education and conflict, we argue that Afghanistan’s education is caught in the nexus between deteriorating security conditions, weak governance and widespread corruption, resulting in rebel capture of educational spaces for radicalisation and violent extremism. More broadly, we contend that education faces the risk of capture for radicalisation in contexts where state fragility and fundamentalism intersect. Finally, we highlight some critical issues relating to educational programming in conflict-affected contexts

Drugs and (Dis)order Interviews with Donor Organisations, Afghanistan, 2018-2019

Collection of semi-structured interviews with government officials, community representatives, donors and NGOs to study the effect of implementation of development projects in the provinces of Nangarhar, Nimroz and Badakshan. The purpose of the research is to record all development organizations active in Nangarhar, Nimroz and Badakshan provinces since 2002 and to map all programs, projects and policies that have been implemented from 2002 to 2017 in the provinces, in particular where they have a counter-narcotic aim.Drugs & (dis)order is a Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project generating new evidence on how to transform illicit drug economies into peace economies in Afghanistan, Colombia and Myanmar. By 2030, more than 50% of the world’s poor will live in fragile and conflict-affected states. And many of today’s armed conflicts are fuelled by illicit drug economies in borderland regions. Trillions of dollars have been spent on the War on Drugs, but securitised approaches have failed. In fact, they often increase state fragility and adversely affect the health and livelihoods of communities and households. In light of these failures, there’s increasing recognition that drug policies need to be more pro-poor and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But the evidence base for this policy reform is patchy, politicised and contested. Drugs & (dis)order is helping to generate pro-poor policy solutions to transform illicit economies into peace economies. To do this we will: (1) Generate a robust evidence base on illicit drug economies and their effects on armed conflict, public health and livelihoods. (2) Identify new approaches and policy solutions to build more inclusive development and sustainable livelihoods in drugs affected contexts. (3) Build a global network of researchers and institutions in Afghanistan, Colombia, Myanmar and the UK to continue this work.</p

Unaccompanied Afghan children: on the move again?

Findings of a collaborative research project provide an insight into why some returned Afghan minors are keen to set out again, despite numerous challenges

District councils : the missing middle of local governance

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Uni

Afghanistan : developing a method for village characterisation

Adam Pai

The A to Z guide to Afghanistan assistance : fourth edition

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Uni

Afghans in Karachi : migration, settlement and social networks

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation UnitParallel als Buch-Ausg. erschiene

Afghans in Pakistan : broadening the focus

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation UnitParallel als Buch-Ausg. erschiene

Afghans in Peshawar : migration, settlements and social networks

Afghanistan Research and Evaluation UnitParallel als Buch-Ausg. erschiene