This seminar will examine the past two years of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, including its internal political landscape and complex relationships with the regional and international community. Beginning with a survey of Afghanistan’s political history, the seminar will look at critical periods of peace, unrest, and development in the Republic, the influence of international agreements such as the 2001 Bonn Agreement and 2021 Doha Accords, and the role of the United States and its allies in building Afghanistan, and the fall of the Republic to the Taliban on August 15, 2021. In the two years following the Taliban takeover, the people of Afghanistan have experienced extensive human rights abuses, political crackdowns, the targeting of opponents, the marginalization of ethnic and religious minorities, and harsh restrictions on women’s and girls’ fundamental rights. In addition to these political abuses, Afghanistan faces extreme food shortages, a worsening economy, and a dire humanitarian situation. Using up-to-date news stories and current reporting, this seminar will investigate the many challenges Afghanistan now faces under Taliban rule, ask how the nation ended up here, and explore the future possibilities for the country. First of 10 sessions.
New York City, NY; NYC