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Home > Open Access Journals > JSS > Vol. 18 > Afghanistan

 

Author Biography

About the Author

Kaneshka Nawabi is an Afghan-British researcher with over two decades of experience in public security sector reform and humanitarian aid. Kaneshka Nawabi’s career as an aid worker started in 1990s Afghanistan. He later joined the Afghan government and served as the Senior Advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Interior and the Afghan National Security Council. Kaneshka is the Co-founder of Reywat, a StratCom organization based in the U.S. Kaneshka has an MBA, an MA degree in International Relations from SOAS, University of London and a PhD from the University of South Wales in the UK.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.18.2.2395

Subject Area Keywords

Afghanistan, Counterinsurgency, Ideology, Radicalization, Religious violence, Taliban

Abstract

Abstract:

This study examines the evolution of political Islam and its role in shaping Afghan generational radicalization. Rooted in a romanticized vision of a "mythical golden age," Islam in Afghanistan has been instrumentalized to justify armed resistance, particularly against foreign invasions. The Soviet invasion marked a pivotal moment, catalyzing ideological shifts and embedding radical narratives. The Taliban's resurgence in 2021 has further entrenched radicalization, amplifying the role of madaris and sidelining moderate Islamic ideologies. By examining the interplay of political isolation, the unchecked expansion of madaris, and the distinct ideological divergences between “Islamism” and Deobandism, this research highlights the deepening entrenchment and fragmentation of radical religious ideologies. The study employs qualitative methods, including interviews and historical analysis, to map the interplay between external invasions, ideological movements, and religious practices. It highlights the hybridization of Hanafi-Deobandi and wahhabi-salafi influences, contributing to ideological fragmentation within Afghanistan's Islamist factions. The findings underscore the challenges of balancing traditional and radicalized Islam within governance, education, and regional dynamics, offering critical insights into the ongoing tensions between cultural and political Islam in Afghanistan’s socio-political fabric.

Disclaimer

Dear Editors at the Journal of Strategic Security,

I want to confirm that my article, “Afghan Generational Radicalization”, has not been published or submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere. Meanwhile, no funding or grants have been received to write this article. The author, therefore, declares no conflicts of interest.

Sincerely,

Kaneshka Nawabi, PhD

Co-Founder

Reywat

10306 Eaton Pl Suite 300, Fairfax

VA 22030

Tel: 703-459-7573

Acknowledgements

Declaration of interests: The author of this article declares that he has neither received any financial compensations nor any known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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