Srinjoy Bose, PhD | The University of New South Wales (original) (raw)
Peer Reviewed Journal Articles by Srinjoy Bose, PhD
Global Policy, Nov 13, 2023
While previous studies underscore the importance of climate-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding... more While previous studies underscore the importance of climate-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding, the relationship between ecosystem services and peace and security, especially at the local level, has been insufficiently studied. We argue that ecosystem services are often neglected by national-level actors and insufficiently integrated into peacebuilding interventions and project design. In fact, policy discourse at highly aggregate levels of analysis silences local, community understandings of ecosystem services and its potential for contributing to sustainable peace. For example, despite investment in community development in Afghanistan via the Citizens' Charter Afghanistan Project, there is scant reference to ‘ecosystem services’ on which Afghans are so reliant, much less any policy planning informed by it and directed at addressing climate and environmental risks. Drawing on evidence from Kabul and Herat provinces in Afghanistan, we illuminate the intersections among insecurity, environmental sustainability and ecosystem services. Specifically, we examine water-related services in Chest-e Sharif district in Herat province and demonstrate how the lack of water availability and (mis)management of water infrastructure contribute to local communities' sense of precarity and government neglect. The findings inform our policy recommendations which are intended to address these gaps.
Environment and Security, 2023
Climate and other forms of global environmental change are transforming the security landscape wh... more Climate and other forms of global environmental change are transforming the security landscape where peace and conflict manifest. Given that most studies on the relationship between peace and the environment focus on (the absence of) violent conflicts or negative peace, this study seeks to identify environmental security issues at the local or community levels using the concept of positive peace. A thematic analysis of focus group discussions from Afghanistan and Nepal, two countries with histories of violent conflict and vulnerable to climate change, reveals non-violent security issues that could undermine resilience to conflict and environmental change. In Afghanistan, local communities view poor water quality and inequitable water distribution as outstanding issues related to government inaction. In Nepal, local communities perceive threats of wild animals and agricultural problems as prominent issues linked to inadequate government support. These findings confirm the value of positive peace in illuminating and contextualizing the relationship between peace and environmental sustainability. This integrated framework can contribute to a more holistic approach toward climate security and environmental peacebuilding.
Critical Research on Religion, 2022
This research paper examines how Bangladeshi youth perceive the role of Islam in their everyday l... more This research paper examines how Bangladeshi youth perceive the role of Islam in their everyday lives and how this, in turn, informs broader political participation and radicalism. The emphasis is on unpacking the politics of meaning-making of Islam at the informal and individual levels eschewing a "high politics" approach that constitutes formal institutions and structures. Drawing on field-data collected in 2017 and 2018, this paper offers insights on the politics of faith in the everyday lives of ordinary Bangladeshi youths whose individual socio-political actions are inspired by their perception of what Islam is but not devoid from the influence of structures of high politics that constantly shapes and reshapes these individuals' perception of Islam. The findings indicate that divisions exist among young Bangladeshis about what Islam constitutes and means. Specifically, it was observed that an emerging trend is to advance the idea of Islam as a majoritarian religion through signs, symbols, and the politics of space. Within this context, narratives of "good Muslim" and "bad Muslim" manifest and contribute into justifications for radicalisation and even terror activities.
Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, 2021
Timor-Leste's extractive industry became economically and politically important during the post-c... more Timor-Leste's extractive industry became economically and politically important during the post-conflict transition period. The government established the Petroleum Fund in 2005 to protect the economy from a "resource curse. " However, the management of the Fund has since become a source of controversy as it created opportunities for corruption and unsustainable spending practices. We argue in this article that political dynamics, in addition to if not more than weak institutions, engendered corruption, clientelist rule, and economic disenfranchisement in postconflict Timor-Leste. Using the Political Settlements approach as an analytical framework, we demonstrate that patronage, rivalry, and rent seeking in the management of petroleum revenues are associated with economic and political challenges in Timor-Leste's state-building process.
Australian Journal of International Affairs, 2021
The development of land rights programs is deeply rooted in power relations. Using discourse anal... more The development of land rights programs is deeply rooted in power
relations. Using discourse analysis, this paper unpacks how Western
logics (assumptions and conventions) regarding ‘best practices’ for
property rights institutions and tenure security impact the design of
peacebuilding programs. In 2017, the Government of Timor-Leste
passed a controversial Land Law Package. These laws were
initially developed for a USAID land reform program. But local
dynamics, actions, and interests were ignored. Examining civil
society exclusion from decision-making infers a reluctance to
acknowledge local voices and practices that threaten liberal
peacebuilding interests. This paper is organised into two parts. In
the first, we argue that peacebuilding ‘best practices’ reflect how
dominant Western discourses create conceptual boundaries
(‘violent hierarchies’) to restrict the recognition of indigenous
ideas as legitimate. In the second, we examine Timorese civil
society efforts to improve the land reform program through acts
of resistance to bodies of authority. Overall, we illuminate how in
Timor-Leste Western assumptions and conventions contributed to
boundaries to local participation, which contradicts liberal
narratives of empowerment and capacity-building.
Global Policy, 2020
Dominant orthodoxies within the study of terrorism have developed and promoted a strategic unders... more Dominant orthodoxies within the study of terrorism have developed and promoted a strategic understanding of terrorism which has, in effect, reinforced the very conflict it seeks to explain. In response, this article develops the challenge of critical terrorism studies to propose a new strategic approach to terrorism. It posits that, while unable to achieve a Clausewitzian victory over the state per se, terrorism is able to politically paralyse the state's overwhelming power by shifting the moral horizons of that state's constituency. We explore two mutually reinforcing mechanisms by which terrorism achieves this objective and explore a number of strategic policy implications of each. This new approach is needed as current approaches misrepresent the challenge the global community currently faces, creating a self‐perpetuating loop of conflict and grievance which promises no end to terrorist violence.
Third World Thematics: a TWQ Journal, 2018
The concept of hybridity has been used in numerous ways by scholars across a range of disciplines... more The concept of hybridity has been used in numerous ways by scholars
across a range of disciplines to generate important analytical and
methodological insights. Its most recent application in the social
sciences has also attracted powerful critiques that have highlighted
its limitations and challenged its continuing usage. This article, which
introduces the collection on Critical Hybridity in Peacebuilding and
Development, examines whether the value of hybridity as a concept
can continue to be harnessed, and how its shortcomings might be
mitigated or overcome. Specifically, we seek to demonstrate the
multiple ways to embrace the benefits of hybridity, while also guiding
scholars through some of the potentially dangerous and problematic
areas that we have identified through our own engagement with the
hybridity concept and by learning from the critiques of others. This
pathway, which we have termed ‘critical hybridity’, identifies eight
approaches that are likely to lead scholars towards a more reflexive
and nuanced engagement with the concept.
Conflict, Security & Development, 2016
This article examines power dynamics in political groupings during the 2014 Afghanistan president... more This article examines power dynamics in political groupings during
the 2014 Afghanistan presidential election and assesses the impact on
political stability and order. The focus is the power dynamics of local
political-economic and identity networks that have come to underpin
and constitute the state in post-2001 international state-building.
The article first seeks to understand how the complex relationships
between the two leading presidential candidates, Ashraf Ghani and
Abdullah Abdullah, and key powerbrokers were negotiated and
subsequently influenced electoral outcomes. Second, focusing on
negotiations over the appointment of the Cabinet ministers, advisers
and staff, and governors, the study maps the restructuring of political
networks within the Afghan state. The analysis reveals the impact of
the election on the redistribution of power and resources, and the
consequences for political order and state stability in the post-2014
period.
Conflict, Security & Development, 2016
The introductory article to this volume positions the Afghan case within the broader literature o... more The introductory article to this volume positions the Afghan case within the broader literature on the political economy of war-to-peace transitions. The paper begins by critiquing the rise of democracy promotion, and then employs a political economy framework to understand the more focused research on democratisation and elections. The paper highlights some of the major features of the Afghan case that provided a backdrop for the 2014 election: a deeply divided society, a highly militarised and invasive international presence, and a history of flawed elections. This discussion helps contextualise the seemingly technical questions about constitutional design, electoral systems and the organisation and monitoring of elections. It is argued that the pursuit of elections and democratisation efforts more broadly, in a context of growing insecurity and political fragmentation, have had unintended and perverse effects. The concluding section sets out the main themes of the individual contributions that follow.
Global Responsibility to Protect, 2016
The responsibility to rebuild needs to be re-elevated to prominence as an integral component of R... more The responsibility to rebuild needs to be re-elevated to prominence as an integral component of R2P: conceptually, normatively and operationally; and its institutional homes in the un system and the Secretary-General's role clarified. The 2009 three pillar formulation of R2P works well in most contexts, but is problematic in that it buries and loses sight of the critical importance of the original iciss third ' responsibility to rebuild' and reconstruct war-raved societies to the point of being viable and self-sustaining once again. We derive some key lessons from the major international interventions of the twenty-first century and recall the context in which R2P was originally formulated in order to highlight the distinctive features of its contribution to international policy. We then describe three dimensions of the responsibility to rebuild – recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation – and the strategies and steps needed for the rebuilding agenda. Recalling that Security Council authorisation of R2P coercive operations is a nonnegotiable prerequisite, we suggest that the responsibility to rebuild can be reintroduced and implemented through the administrative and political leadership roles of the Secretary-General.
India Review, 2016
In this article, the authors conduct a comparative review of the strategic imperatives driving Si... more In this article, the authors conduct a comparative review of the
strategic imperatives driving Sino-Indian policy on Afghanistan in
the post-2014 scenario. The article argues that divergent strategic
imperatives make cooperation difficult and/or unlikely. This analysis
is based on a broader consideration of both contemporary
history and geopolitical dynamics shaping the foreign policy considerations
of these two countries, and an assessment of the
impact of ongoing bi-lateral and regional aspirations. The authors
begin by highlighting the salient dynamics that have historically
characterized and driven Indian and Chinese foreign policy in
general and on Afghanistan. They find that Afghanistan, although
not a primary focus of either state’s foreign or security policy,
historically, is increasing in importance for both; India and China
compete on a range of economic and security issues.
Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 2016
In conflict-affected countries there is a trend of rapid urbanisation driven by internal migratio... more In conflict-affected countries there is a trend of rapid urbanisation driven by internal migration and displacement. These countries are also increasingly young. Despite constituting a demographic majority in urban conflict and displacement-affected situations, youth are often invisible. Afghanistan fits this dynamic well with two-thirds of the population below the age of 25 and one in four living in cities in so-called ‘informal settlements’ on the fringes of cities, a vast majority with displacement backgrounds. Furthermore, Afghan youth have had very little agency in conceiving their future and that of their country. They are viewed as either vulnerable or risk factors for conflict, with action limited to ‘exit’ or ‘violence’. This article gives urban displaced Afghan youth a voice by telling their story of being caught between the desire for agency and the real and perceived obstacles that prevent this from happening.
Australian Journal of International Affairs, Jul 2015
The ongoing international military withdrawal from Afghanistan has set the stage for energising t... more The ongoing international military withdrawal from Afghanistan has set the stage for energising the activities of Afghanistan’s external stakeholders to re-evaluate their activities. The possible return of the Taliban in some form could compel Afghanistan’s current external partners—Iran, India and Russia—to turn into limited spoilers. The absence of an international guarantor in Afghanistan from December 2014 is likely to encourage Pakistan—a greedy spoiler—to intensify its meddling as a means to reposition the Taliban—a total spoiler—at the helm of Afghan affairs. The combination of limited, greedy and total spoilers threatens to undermine security and state-building processes.
Journal of Eastern European and Central Asian Research, Mar 2015
In April and June 2014, Afghanistan conducted its first democratic transition of power. This comm... more In April and June 2014, Afghanistan conducted its first democratic transition of power. This commentary provides a first-hand account and appraisal of the conduct of the elections, and begins by capturing first the atmospherics of polling day, and then reviews some lasting impressions of the same. After identifying some of the common themes and strands that characterised the polling including, polling procedures, individual and/or team performances of election officials, logistical shortcomings, and the security measures put in place, etc. the commentary concludes by advocating for the continued improvement (best practices) of the electoral enterprise.
Strategic Analysis, Jul 2014
The following article argues that the strategic and structural solutions proffered by advocates o... more The following article argues that the strategic and structural solutions proffered by advocates of ‘hybrid’ governance—encompassing elements from distinctly different ideological backgrounds or schools of thought—ignore or fail to address certain inherent shortcomings in their approach that are counter-productive to the ongoing and long-term statebuilding and peacebuilding projects in Afghanistan. The following study elucidates some of these shortcomings.
Books by Srinjoy Bose, PhD
Drones and Global Order: Implications of Remote Warfare for International Society, 2022
The concept of hybridity highlights complex processes of interaction and transformation between d... more The concept of hybridity highlights complex processes of interaction and transformation between different institutional and social forms, and normative systems. It has been used in numerous ways to generate important analytical and methodological insights into peacebuilding and development. Its most recent application in the social sciences has also attracted powerful critiques that have highlighted its limitations and challenged its continuing usage.
This book examines whether the value of hybridity as a concept can continue to be harnessed, and how its shortcomings might be mitigated or overcome. It does so in an interdisciplinary way, as hybridity has been used as a benchmark across multiple disciplines and areas of practical engagement over the past decade – including peacebuilding, state-building, justice reform, security, development studies, anthropology, and economics. This book encourages a dialogue about the uses and critiques of hybridity from a variety of perspectives and vantage points, including deeply ethnographic works, high-level theory, and applied policy work. The authors conclude that there is continued value in the concept of hybridity, but argue that this value can only be realised if the concept is engaged with in a reflexive and critical way.
This book was originally published as a special issue of the online journal Third World Thematics.
Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development: Critical Conversations, 2018
Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development engages with the possibilities and pitfa... more Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development engages with the possibilities and pitfalls of the increasingly popular notion of hybridity. The hybridity concept has been embraced by scholars and practitioners in response to the social and institutional complexities of peacebuilding and development practice. In particular, the concept appears well-suited to making sense of the mutually constitutive outcomes of processes of interaction between diverse norms, institutions, actors and discourses in the context of contemporary peacebuilding and development engagements. At the same time, it has been criticised from a variety of perspectives for overlooking critical questions of history, power and scale. The authors in this interdisciplinary collection draw on their in‑depth knowledge of peacebuilding and development contexts in different parts of Asia, the Pacific and Africa to examine the messy and dynamic realities of hybridity ‘on the ground’. By critically exploring the power dynamics, and the diverse actors, ideas, practices and sites that shape hybrid peacebuilding and development across time and space, this book offers fresh insights to hybridity debates that will be of interest to both scholars and practitioners.
Afghanistan - Challenges and Prospects, 2017
After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation com... more After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation comes to the fore as many of the key players from earlier phases, including foreign interventionist powers, leave the scene. Although this new phase offers new possibilities and increased hope for Afghanistan’s future, the huge problems created in earlier phases remain. This book presents a comprehensive overall assessment of the current state of politics and society in Afghanistan, outlining the difficulties and discussing the future possibilities. Many of the contributors are Afghans or Afghan insiders, who are able to put forward a much richer view of the situation than outside foreign observers.
Book Chapters by Srinjoy Bose, PhD
The SAGE Handbook of Asian Foreign Policy, 2019
This chapter seeks to review the perceptions, motives, policies and strategies of some of the pri... more This chapter seeks to review the perceptions, motives, policies and strategies of some of the principal actors that have staked a claim in the resolution, persistence or evolution of conflict in Afghanistan. We seek to paint a clear picture of the ways in which the Afghan conflicts have shaped foreign relations with Afghanistan. In other words, what follows is a tale about ‘legacy’ – the legacy of decades of external rivalry vis-à-vis Afghanistan. The review and analysis stress the role of four countries: the United States, Russia, China, and Pakistan – all key actors in the internationalized civil war in Afghanistan. Except for China, the other three countries have a long history of direct and indirect engagement in Afghanistan.
Global Policy, Nov 13, 2023
While previous studies underscore the importance of climate-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding... more While previous studies underscore the importance of climate-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding, the relationship between ecosystem services and peace and security, especially at the local level, has been insufficiently studied. We argue that ecosystem services are often neglected by national-level actors and insufficiently integrated into peacebuilding interventions and project design. In fact, policy discourse at highly aggregate levels of analysis silences local, community understandings of ecosystem services and its potential for contributing to sustainable peace. For example, despite investment in community development in Afghanistan via the Citizens' Charter Afghanistan Project, there is scant reference to ‘ecosystem services’ on which Afghans are so reliant, much less any policy planning informed by it and directed at addressing climate and environmental risks. Drawing on evidence from Kabul and Herat provinces in Afghanistan, we illuminate the intersections among insecurity, environmental sustainability and ecosystem services. Specifically, we examine water-related services in Chest-e Sharif district in Herat province and demonstrate how the lack of water availability and (mis)management of water infrastructure contribute to local communities' sense of precarity and government neglect. The findings inform our policy recommendations which are intended to address these gaps.
Environment and Security, 2023
Climate and other forms of global environmental change are transforming the security landscape wh... more Climate and other forms of global environmental change are transforming the security landscape where peace and conflict manifest. Given that most studies on the relationship between peace and the environment focus on (the absence of) violent conflicts or negative peace, this study seeks to identify environmental security issues at the local or community levels using the concept of positive peace. A thematic analysis of focus group discussions from Afghanistan and Nepal, two countries with histories of violent conflict and vulnerable to climate change, reveals non-violent security issues that could undermine resilience to conflict and environmental change. In Afghanistan, local communities view poor water quality and inequitable water distribution as outstanding issues related to government inaction. In Nepal, local communities perceive threats of wild animals and agricultural problems as prominent issues linked to inadequate government support. These findings confirm the value of positive peace in illuminating and contextualizing the relationship between peace and environmental sustainability. This integrated framework can contribute to a more holistic approach toward climate security and environmental peacebuilding.
Critical Research on Religion, 2022
This research paper examines how Bangladeshi youth perceive the role of Islam in their everyday l... more This research paper examines how Bangladeshi youth perceive the role of Islam in their everyday lives and how this, in turn, informs broader political participation and radicalism. The emphasis is on unpacking the politics of meaning-making of Islam at the informal and individual levels eschewing a "high politics" approach that constitutes formal institutions and structures. Drawing on field-data collected in 2017 and 2018, this paper offers insights on the politics of faith in the everyday lives of ordinary Bangladeshi youths whose individual socio-political actions are inspired by their perception of what Islam is but not devoid from the influence of structures of high politics that constantly shapes and reshapes these individuals' perception of Islam. The findings indicate that divisions exist among young Bangladeshis about what Islam constitutes and means. Specifically, it was observed that an emerging trend is to advance the idea of Islam as a majoritarian religion through signs, symbols, and the politics of space. Within this context, narratives of "good Muslim" and "bad Muslim" manifest and contribute into justifications for radicalisation and even terror activities.
Asian Journal of Peacebuilding, 2021
Timor-Leste's extractive industry became economically and politically important during the post-c... more Timor-Leste's extractive industry became economically and politically important during the post-conflict transition period. The government established the Petroleum Fund in 2005 to protect the economy from a "resource curse. " However, the management of the Fund has since become a source of controversy as it created opportunities for corruption and unsustainable spending practices. We argue in this article that political dynamics, in addition to if not more than weak institutions, engendered corruption, clientelist rule, and economic disenfranchisement in postconflict Timor-Leste. Using the Political Settlements approach as an analytical framework, we demonstrate that patronage, rivalry, and rent seeking in the management of petroleum revenues are associated with economic and political challenges in Timor-Leste's state-building process.
Australian Journal of International Affairs, 2021
The development of land rights programs is deeply rooted in power relations. Using discourse anal... more The development of land rights programs is deeply rooted in power
relations. Using discourse analysis, this paper unpacks how Western
logics (assumptions and conventions) regarding ‘best practices’ for
property rights institutions and tenure security impact the design of
peacebuilding programs. In 2017, the Government of Timor-Leste
passed a controversial Land Law Package. These laws were
initially developed for a USAID land reform program. But local
dynamics, actions, and interests were ignored. Examining civil
society exclusion from decision-making infers a reluctance to
acknowledge local voices and practices that threaten liberal
peacebuilding interests. This paper is organised into two parts. In
the first, we argue that peacebuilding ‘best practices’ reflect how
dominant Western discourses create conceptual boundaries
(‘violent hierarchies’) to restrict the recognition of indigenous
ideas as legitimate. In the second, we examine Timorese civil
society efforts to improve the land reform program through acts
of resistance to bodies of authority. Overall, we illuminate how in
Timor-Leste Western assumptions and conventions contributed to
boundaries to local participation, which contradicts liberal
narratives of empowerment and capacity-building.
Global Policy, 2020
Dominant orthodoxies within the study of terrorism have developed and promoted a strategic unders... more Dominant orthodoxies within the study of terrorism have developed and promoted a strategic understanding of terrorism which has, in effect, reinforced the very conflict it seeks to explain. In response, this article develops the challenge of critical terrorism studies to propose a new strategic approach to terrorism. It posits that, while unable to achieve a Clausewitzian victory over the state per se, terrorism is able to politically paralyse the state's overwhelming power by shifting the moral horizons of that state's constituency. We explore two mutually reinforcing mechanisms by which terrorism achieves this objective and explore a number of strategic policy implications of each. This new approach is needed as current approaches misrepresent the challenge the global community currently faces, creating a self‐perpetuating loop of conflict and grievance which promises no end to terrorist violence.
Third World Thematics: a TWQ Journal, 2018
The concept of hybridity has been used in numerous ways by scholars across a range of disciplines... more The concept of hybridity has been used in numerous ways by scholars
across a range of disciplines to generate important analytical and
methodological insights. Its most recent application in the social
sciences has also attracted powerful critiques that have highlighted
its limitations and challenged its continuing usage. This article, which
introduces the collection on Critical Hybridity in Peacebuilding and
Development, examines whether the value of hybridity as a concept
can continue to be harnessed, and how its shortcomings might be
mitigated or overcome. Specifically, we seek to demonstrate the
multiple ways to embrace the benefits of hybridity, while also guiding
scholars through some of the potentially dangerous and problematic
areas that we have identified through our own engagement with the
hybridity concept and by learning from the critiques of others. This
pathway, which we have termed ‘critical hybridity’, identifies eight
approaches that are likely to lead scholars towards a more reflexive
and nuanced engagement with the concept.
Conflict, Security & Development, 2016
This article examines power dynamics in political groupings during the 2014 Afghanistan president... more This article examines power dynamics in political groupings during
the 2014 Afghanistan presidential election and assesses the impact on
political stability and order. The focus is the power dynamics of local
political-economic and identity networks that have come to underpin
and constitute the state in post-2001 international state-building.
The article first seeks to understand how the complex relationships
between the two leading presidential candidates, Ashraf Ghani and
Abdullah Abdullah, and key powerbrokers were negotiated and
subsequently influenced electoral outcomes. Second, focusing on
negotiations over the appointment of the Cabinet ministers, advisers
and staff, and governors, the study maps the restructuring of political
networks within the Afghan state. The analysis reveals the impact of
the election on the redistribution of power and resources, and the
consequences for political order and state stability in the post-2014
period.
Conflict, Security & Development, 2016
The introductory article to this volume positions the Afghan case within the broader literature o... more The introductory article to this volume positions the Afghan case within the broader literature on the political economy of war-to-peace transitions. The paper begins by critiquing the rise of democracy promotion, and then employs a political economy framework to understand the more focused research on democratisation and elections. The paper highlights some of the major features of the Afghan case that provided a backdrop for the 2014 election: a deeply divided society, a highly militarised and invasive international presence, and a history of flawed elections. This discussion helps contextualise the seemingly technical questions about constitutional design, electoral systems and the organisation and monitoring of elections. It is argued that the pursuit of elections and democratisation efforts more broadly, in a context of growing insecurity and political fragmentation, have had unintended and perverse effects. The concluding section sets out the main themes of the individual contributions that follow.
Global Responsibility to Protect, 2016
The responsibility to rebuild needs to be re-elevated to prominence as an integral component of R... more The responsibility to rebuild needs to be re-elevated to prominence as an integral component of R2P: conceptually, normatively and operationally; and its institutional homes in the un system and the Secretary-General's role clarified. The 2009 three pillar formulation of R2P works well in most contexts, but is problematic in that it buries and loses sight of the critical importance of the original iciss third ' responsibility to rebuild' and reconstruct war-raved societies to the point of being viable and self-sustaining once again. We derive some key lessons from the major international interventions of the twenty-first century and recall the context in which R2P was originally formulated in order to highlight the distinctive features of its contribution to international policy. We then describe three dimensions of the responsibility to rebuild – recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation – and the strategies and steps needed for the rebuilding agenda. Recalling that Security Council authorisation of R2P coercive operations is a nonnegotiable prerequisite, we suggest that the responsibility to rebuild can be reintroduced and implemented through the administrative and political leadership roles of the Secretary-General.
India Review, 2016
In this article, the authors conduct a comparative review of the strategic imperatives driving Si... more In this article, the authors conduct a comparative review of the
strategic imperatives driving Sino-Indian policy on Afghanistan in
the post-2014 scenario. The article argues that divergent strategic
imperatives make cooperation difficult and/or unlikely. This analysis
is based on a broader consideration of both contemporary
history and geopolitical dynamics shaping the foreign policy considerations
of these two countries, and an assessment of the
impact of ongoing bi-lateral and regional aspirations. The authors
begin by highlighting the salient dynamics that have historically
characterized and driven Indian and Chinese foreign policy in
general and on Afghanistan. They find that Afghanistan, although
not a primary focus of either state’s foreign or security policy,
historically, is increasing in importance for both; India and China
compete on a range of economic and security issues.
Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 2016
In conflict-affected countries there is a trend of rapid urbanisation driven by internal migratio... more In conflict-affected countries there is a trend of rapid urbanisation driven by internal migration and displacement. These countries are also increasingly young. Despite constituting a demographic majority in urban conflict and displacement-affected situations, youth are often invisible. Afghanistan fits this dynamic well with two-thirds of the population below the age of 25 and one in four living in cities in so-called ‘informal settlements’ on the fringes of cities, a vast majority with displacement backgrounds. Furthermore, Afghan youth have had very little agency in conceiving their future and that of their country. They are viewed as either vulnerable or risk factors for conflict, with action limited to ‘exit’ or ‘violence’. This article gives urban displaced Afghan youth a voice by telling their story of being caught between the desire for agency and the real and perceived obstacles that prevent this from happening.
Australian Journal of International Affairs, Jul 2015
The ongoing international military withdrawal from Afghanistan has set the stage for energising t... more The ongoing international military withdrawal from Afghanistan has set the stage for energising the activities of Afghanistan’s external stakeholders to re-evaluate their activities. The possible return of the Taliban in some form could compel Afghanistan’s current external partners—Iran, India and Russia—to turn into limited spoilers. The absence of an international guarantor in Afghanistan from December 2014 is likely to encourage Pakistan—a greedy spoiler—to intensify its meddling as a means to reposition the Taliban—a total spoiler—at the helm of Afghan affairs. The combination of limited, greedy and total spoilers threatens to undermine security and state-building processes.
Journal of Eastern European and Central Asian Research, Mar 2015
In April and June 2014, Afghanistan conducted its first democratic transition of power. This comm... more In April and June 2014, Afghanistan conducted its first democratic transition of power. This commentary provides a first-hand account and appraisal of the conduct of the elections, and begins by capturing first the atmospherics of polling day, and then reviews some lasting impressions of the same. After identifying some of the common themes and strands that characterised the polling including, polling procedures, individual and/or team performances of election officials, logistical shortcomings, and the security measures put in place, etc. the commentary concludes by advocating for the continued improvement (best practices) of the electoral enterprise.
Strategic Analysis, Jul 2014
The following article argues that the strategic and structural solutions proffered by advocates o... more The following article argues that the strategic and structural solutions proffered by advocates of ‘hybrid’ governance—encompassing elements from distinctly different ideological backgrounds or schools of thought—ignore or fail to address certain inherent shortcomings in their approach that are counter-productive to the ongoing and long-term statebuilding and peacebuilding projects in Afghanistan. The following study elucidates some of these shortcomings.
Drones and Global Order: Implications of Remote Warfare for International Society, 2022
The concept of hybridity highlights complex processes of interaction and transformation between d... more The concept of hybridity highlights complex processes of interaction and transformation between different institutional and social forms, and normative systems. It has been used in numerous ways to generate important analytical and methodological insights into peacebuilding and development. Its most recent application in the social sciences has also attracted powerful critiques that have highlighted its limitations and challenged its continuing usage.
This book examines whether the value of hybridity as a concept can continue to be harnessed, and how its shortcomings might be mitigated or overcome. It does so in an interdisciplinary way, as hybridity has been used as a benchmark across multiple disciplines and areas of practical engagement over the past decade – including peacebuilding, state-building, justice reform, security, development studies, anthropology, and economics. This book encourages a dialogue about the uses and critiques of hybridity from a variety of perspectives and vantage points, including deeply ethnographic works, high-level theory, and applied policy work. The authors conclude that there is continued value in the concept of hybridity, but argue that this value can only be realised if the concept is engaged with in a reflexive and critical way.
This book was originally published as a special issue of the online journal Third World Thematics.
Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development: Critical Conversations, 2018
Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development engages with the possibilities and pitfa... more Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development engages with the possibilities and pitfalls of the increasingly popular notion of hybridity. The hybridity concept has been embraced by scholars and practitioners in response to the social and institutional complexities of peacebuilding and development practice. In particular, the concept appears well-suited to making sense of the mutually constitutive outcomes of processes of interaction between diverse norms, institutions, actors and discourses in the context of contemporary peacebuilding and development engagements. At the same time, it has been criticised from a variety of perspectives for overlooking critical questions of history, power and scale. The authors in this interdisciplinary collection draw on their in‑depth knowledge of peacebuilding and development contexts in different parts of Asia, the Pacific and Africa to examine the messy and dynamic realities of hybridity ‘on the ground’. By critically exploring the power dynamics, and the diverse actors, ideas, practices and sites that shape hybrid peacebuilding and development across time and space, this book offers fresh insights to hybridity debates that will be of interest to both scholars and practitioners.
Afghanistan - Challenges and Prospects, 2017
After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation com... more After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation comes to the fore as many of the key players from earlier phases, including foreign interventionist powers, leave the scene. Although this new phase offers new possibilities and increased hope for Afghanistan’s future, the huge problems created in earlier phases remain. This book presents a comprehensive overall assessment of the current state of politics and society in Afghanistan, outlining the difficulties and discussing the future possibilities. Many of the contributors are Afghans or Afghan insiders, who are able to put forward a much richer view of the situation than outside foreign observers.
The SAGE Handbook of Asian Foreign Policy, 2019
This chapter seeks to review the perceptions, motives, policies and strategies of some of the pri... more This chapter seeks to review the perceptions, motives, policies and strategies of some of the principal actors that have staked a claim in the resolution, persistence or evolution of conflict in Afghanistan. We seek to paint a clear picture of the ways in which the Afghan conflicts have shaped foreign relations with Afghanistan. In other words, what follows is a tale about ‘legacy’ – the legacy of decades of external rivalry vis-à-vis Afghanistan. The review and analysis stress the role of four countries: the United States, Russia, China, and Pakistan – all key actors in the internationalized civil war in Afghanistan. Except for China, the other three countries have a long history of direct and indirect engagement in Afghanistan.
Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development, 2018
'Introduction' to edited volume Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development: Critica... more 'Introduction' to edited volume Hybridity on the Ground in Peacebuilding and Development: Critical Conversations
Interrogating Illiberal Peace in Eurasia: Critical Perspectives on Peace and Conflict, 2018
In 2014, while the international military could support and justify their exit strategy by citing... more In 2014, while the international military could support and justify their exit strategy by citing a fragile peace at the national level, at the local level competition over resources led to increasing violence and instability. Nowhere is this more visible than Afghanistan's extractive industry where powerful individuals and networks vie for access and control of valuable resources. Donors such as the US military have attempted to partner with these sub-national actors in a bid to manage conflict and ensure state stability/order (or more accurately, the facade of stability). The international assistance financially empowered key regional commanders; this enabled the latter to consolidate power within the state at sub-national level. Inadvertently, this approach reinforced the Taliban's own strategy of generating local revenue from the drug/extractive economies. linking the different levels of economic and violent interaction (local, sub-national, national, and international), detailed analysis of key resources can help identify shifts in power relationships within and between networks. Identifying who controls commodities and exchange, as well as the means of violence that determine the distribution of profits, can shed light on trends in the relationship between war economies, conflict onset and persistence, and even state (in)stability.
Afghanistan--Challenges and Prospects, 2017
After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation com... more After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation comes to the fore as many of the key players from earlier phases, including foreign interventionist powers, leave the scene. Although this new phase offers new possibilities and increased hope for Afghanistan’s future, the huge problems created in earlier phases remain. This book presents a comprehensive overall assessment of the current state of politics and society in Afghanistan, outlining the difficulties and discussing the future possibilities. Many of the contributors are Afghans or Afghan insiders, who are able to put forward a much richer view of the situation than outside foreign observers.
Afghanistan--Challenges and Prospects, 2017
After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation com... more After decades of turmoil a new phase is opening up for Afghanistan, in which a new generation comes to the fore as many of the key players from earlier phases, including foreign interventionist powers, leave the scene. Although this new phase offers new possibilities and increased hope for Afghanistan’s future, the huge problems created in earlier phases remain. This book presents a comprehensive overall assessment of the current state of politics and society in Afghanistan, outlining the difficulties and discussing the future possibilities. Many of the contributors are Afghans or Afghan insiders, who are able to put forward a much richer view of the situation than outside foreign observers.
Tower Turmoil: Characters & Controversies at the University of Otago, 2005
In this chapter, I examine the treatment of University of Otago (New Zealand) students within the... more In this chapter, I examine the treatment of University of Otago (New Zealand) students within the broader historical context of anti-pacifist sentiment and conscription policies in New Zealand during the Second World War. During the war, the university administration at Otago considered loyalty to the State to be the highest priority, and as such expected nothing less than full cooperation and commitment from its various constituents. Consequently, the university administration deemed it unthinkable for its staff and students (as citizens of the state and as members of the university community) to baulk from answering the nation’s call of duty—in particular, duty in the form of military service. Those students who resisted service faced public ridicule and institutional penalties.
Institute for Integrated Transitions, 2020
This paper is part of a larger project that aims to fill a major gap in policy making: the failur... more This paper is part of a larger project that aims to fill a major gap in policy making: the failure to integrate lessons learnt and best practices from the field of transitional justice in relation to conflict resolution strategies with two kinds of unconventional armed actors: 1) “violent extremist” groups, such as jihadists; and 2) organised crime groups, such as mafia, gang networks and drug cartels.
This case-study on Afghanistan (focused on the Taliban), examines the intersection of negotiation and transitional justice goals. The paper informs a final policy framework that aims to help policymakers tailor more effective negotiation and transitional justice strategies to address root causes, break cycles of violence, and strengthen the rule of law in settings affected by violent extremism.
Peaceworks, 2019
The youth-led protest movements that emerged after the 2014 Afghan presidential election added a ... more The youth-led protest movements that emerged after the 2014 Afghan presidential election added a new dynamic to Afghan politics. Motivated primarily by widespread perceptions of injustice, exclusion and marginalization from governmental policymaking, and rapidly deteriorating economic and security conditions, the protest movements sharply criticized the administration of President Ashraf Ghani. This report examines the emergence of a new generation of youth activists in Afghanistan and the responses of the government and international community to those movements.
Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) Occassional Paper, Oct 2014
This paper identifies and appreciates China’s strategic interests in order to optimise China-Indi... more This paper identifies and appreciates China’s strategic interests in order to optimise China-India cooperation in Afghanistan in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In particular, the paper highlights the resources that India will need to bring to bear in order to facilitate India-China cooperation on Afghanistan.
IPCS Research Paper, 2007
Regardless of the political and ideological diversity in disputes that engulf many of the Islamic... more Regardless of the political and ideological diversity in disputes that engulf many of the Islamic nations of the Middle East today, the Shia versus Sunni conflict is gradually defining most of them. It appears that the United States administration and its Arab allies do not distinguish between the Shia phenomenon – its rise and potential – and aspects of Iranian foreign policy. To them, the Shia ‘threat’ is part and parcel of a larger problem, a potential Iranian threat. Notwithstanding many observers arguing that it would be a catastrophic mistake to confuse containing Iran with containing Shia Islam, a US-led policy of containing Iran is increasingly being fused with the latter. As a consequence, the Middle East is arguably on the verge of witnessing a profound shift in the power balance that could alter/determine the geopolitics of the region for decades to come. The primary aim of this paper, however, is not to account for the historical/political rise of Shiaism or of Iran, or even debate the existence of the so-called ‘Shia Crescent,’ but to examine instead, the perceptions of Sunni Arab states and the US, who feel threatened by a pan-Shia movement. It is in this respect that this paper seeks to add to existing scholarship.
IPCS Special Report, 2007
India is highly dependent on oil imports, and approximately 70 per cent of India’s oil is importe... more India is highly dependent on oil imports, and approximately 70 per cent of India’s oil is imported. By 2020 India is expected to import 80 per cent of its energy needs. Expecting an exponential growth in its energy demands from an expanding economy India has been trying hard to secure hydrocarbon energy supplies. Amongst other options, India has been looking eastwards to the extensive natural- gas reserves of Bangladesh and Myanmar, which have become vital for India’s economic growth. The geographic proximity of Bangladesh and Myanmar to India makes the import of gas not just convenient, but an economically attractive proposition. In addition, the energy needs of eastern India, particularly the northeastern states, would be better served by gas from Myanmar and Bangladesh rather than from reserves in Iran and other distant fields.
Global Policy, Nov 12, 2023
While previous studies underscore the importance of climate-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding... more While previous studies underscore the importance of climate-sensitive approaches to peacebuilding, the relationship between ecosystem services and peace and security, especially at the local level, has been insufficiently studied. We argue that ecosystem services are often neglected by national-level actors and insufficiently integrated into peacebuilding interventions and project design. In fact, policy discourse at highly aggregate levels of analysis silences local, community understandings of ecosystem services and its potential for contributing to sustainable peace. For example, despite investment in community development in Afghanistan via the Citizens' Charter Afghanistan Project, there is scant reference to ‘ecosystem services’ on which Afghans are so reliant, much less any policy planning informed by it and directed at addressing climate and environmental risks. Drawing on evidence from Kabul and Herat provinces in Afghanistan, we illuminate the intersections among insecurity, environmental sustainability and ecosystem services. Specifically, we examine water-related services in Chest-e Sharif district in Herat province and demonstrate how the lack of water availability and (mis)management of water infrastructure contribute to local communities' sense of precarity and government neglect. The findings inform our policy recommendations which are intended to address these gaps.
Routledge eBooks, Jun 26, 2020
Australian Journal of International Affairs, Sep 23, 2014
The ongoing international military withdrawal from Afghanistan has set the stage for energising t... more The ongoing international military withdrawal from Afghanistan has set the stage for energising the activities of Afghanistan's external stakeholders to re-evaluate their activities. The possible return of the Taliban in some form could compel Afghanistan's current external partners—Iran, India and Russia—to turn into limited spoilers. The absence of an international guarantor in Afghanistan from December 2014 is likely to encourage Pakistan—a greedy spoiler—to intensify its meddling as a means to reposition the Taliban—a total spoiler—at the helm of Afghan affairs. The combination of limited, greedy and total spoilers threatens to undermine security and state-building processes.
Climate and other forms of global environmental change are transforming the security landscape wh... more Climate and other forms of global environmental change are transforming the security landscape where peace and conflict manifest. Given that most studies on the relationship between peace and the environment focus on (the absence of) violent conflicts or negative peace, this study seeks to identify environmental security issues at the local or community levels using the concept of positive peace. A thematic analysis of focus group discussions from Afghanistan and Nepal, two countries with histories of violent conflict and vulnerable to climate change, reveals non-violent security issues that could undermine resilience to conflict and environmental change. In Afghanistan, local communities view poor water quality and inequitable water distribution as outstanding issues related to government inaction. In Nepal, local communities perceive threats of wild animals and agricultural problems as prominent issues linked to inadequate government support. These findings confirm the value of positive peace in illuminating and contextualizing the relationship between peace and environmental sustainability. This integrated framework can contribute to a more holistic approach toward climate security and environmental peacebuilding.
Critical Research on Religion, Dec 26, 2022
This research paper examines how Bangladeshi youth perceive the role of Islam in their everyday l... more This research paper examines how Bangladeshi youth perceive the role of Islam in their everyday lives and how this, in turn, informs broader political participation and radicalism. The emphasis is on unpacking the politics of meaning-making of Islam at the informal and individual levels eschewing a “high politics” approach that constitutes formal institutions and structures. Drawing on field-data collected in 2017 and 2018, this paper offers insights on the politics of faith in the everyday lives of ordinary Bangladeshi youths whose individual socio-political actions are inspired by their perception of what Islam is but not devoid from the influence of structures of high politics that constantly shapes and reshapes these individuals’ perception of Islam. The findings indicate that divisions exist among young Bangladeshis about what Islam constitutes and means. Specifically, it was observed that an emerging trend is to advance the idea of Islam as a majoritarian religion through signs, symbols, and the politics of space. Within this context, narratives of “good Muslim” and “bad Muslim” manifest and contribute into justifications for radicalisation and even terror activities.
Global Policy, Jan 22, 2020
This chapter seeks to review the perceptions, motives, policies and strategies of some of the pri... more This chapter seeks to review the perceptions, motives, policies and strategies of some of the principal actors that have staked a claim in the resolution, persistence or evolution of conflict in Afghanistan. We seek to paint a clear picture of the ways in which the Afghan conflicts have shaped foreign relations with Afghanistan. In other words, what follows is a tale about ‘legacy’ – the legacy of decades of external rivalry vis-à-vis Afghanistan. The review and analysis stress the role of four countries: the United States, Russia, China, and Pakistan – all key actors in the internationalized civil war in Afghanistan. Except for China, the other three countries have a long history of direct and indirect engagement in Afghanistan.
Analysis. This brief essay begins by arguing that shared advocacy between the Responsibility to P... more Analysis. This brief essay begins by arguing that shared advocacy between the Responsibility to Protect (RtoP) and Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agendas is vital to help realise their stated objectives
Journal of peacebuilding and development, Sep 1, 2016
Social Science Research Network, 2023
Australian Journal of International Affairs, Apr 5, 2021
ABSTRACT The development of land rights programs is deeply rooted in power relations. Using disco... more ABSTRACT The development of land rights programs is deeply rooted in power relations. Using discourse analysis, this paper unpacks how Western logics (assumptions and conventions) regarding ‘best practices’ for property rights institutions and tenure security impact the design of peacebuilding programs. In 2017, the Government of Timor-Leste passed a controversial Land Law Package. These laws were initially developed for a USAID land reform program. But local dynamics, actions, and interests were ignored. Examining civil society exclusion from decision-making infers a reluctance to acknowledge local voices and practices that threaten liberal peacebuilding interests. This paper is organised into two parts. In the first, we argue that peacebuilding ‘best practices’ reflect how dominant Western discourses create conceptual boundaries (‘violent hierarchies’) to restrict the recognition of indigenous ideas as legitimate. In the second, we examine Timorese civil society efforts to improve the land reform program through acts of resistance to bodies of authority. Overall, we illuminate how in Timor-Leste Western assumptions and conventions contributed to boundaries to local participation, which contradicts liberal narratives of empowerment and capacity-building.
Strategic Analysis, Jul 4, 2014
The following commentary argues that the strategic and structural solutions proffered by advocate... more The following commentary argues that the strategic and structural solutions proffered by advocates of ‘hybrid’ governance—encompassing elements from distinctly different ideological backgrounds or schools of thought—ignore or fail to address certain inherent shortcomings in their approach that are counter-productive to the ongoing and long-term statebuilding and peacebuilding projects in Afghanistan. The following study elucidates some of these shortcomings. Some of the strategies adopted by the Afghan government arise from hybrid approaches to governance, where the state has sought to draw its legitimacy from informal social structures by allowing them to perpetuate as competing institutions in matters concerning provision of individual security and important bodies to vet and validate state action. Such strategies can be counter-productive, particularly in view of the ongoing transition process in Afghanistan. While hybridism has had apparent ‘successes’ in Tanzania, Mozambique, Bostwana and Somaliland—where the inclusion of customary, non-liberal rule systems in the formal statebuilding/peacebuilding processes and the reliance on indigenous sources of state capability provide informal and/or domestic legitimacy—in the case of Afghanistan, reliance on/preservation of pre-existing political, economic and social conditions that fuel conflict are seen to be interfering with locally engrained approaches to/mechanisms for peacemaking. Moreover, empirical investigation also reveals that in countries with corrupt and abusive systems, such as Mexico and Uganda, those responsible for delivering security and justice are often the very perpetrators of insecurity. Too often, proponents of hybridism are over-eager to champion the advantages of a hybrid approach, even without paying sufficient attention to its possible ramifications, including that hybridism may, under certain circumstances, (1) negatively impact the working of formal (democratic) institutions, leading to elites once again taking refuge in patron–client networks, (2) dominate or undermine state institutions by violent methods and means, and (3) result in ‘spoiler’ behaviour and activity. The following study serves to identify challenges posed to the statebuilding/peacebuilding project in Afghanistan by a hybrid governance model and cautions against its overzealous and uncritical acceptance. As one scholar has argued, hybridism is not a phenomenon to be either universally condemned or venerated; rather the implications of hybridism need to be appraised in specific contexts.
Asian journal of peacebuilding, May 31, 2021
India Review, Oct 1, 2016
ABSTRACT In this article, the authors conduct a comparative review of the strategic imperatives d... more ABSTRACT In this article, the authors conduct a comparative review of the strategic imperatives driving Sino-Indian policy on Afghanistan in the post-2014 scenario. The article argues that divergent strategic imperatives make cooperation difficult and/or unlikely. This analysis is based on a broader consideration of both contemporary history and geopolitical dynamics shaping the foreign policy considerations of these two countries, and an assessment of the impact of ongoing bi-lateral and regional aspirations. The authors begin by highlighting the salient dynamics that have historically characterized and driven Indian and Chinese foreign policy in general and on Afghanistan. They find that Afghanistan, although not a primary focus of either state’s foreign or security policy, historically, is increasing in importance for both; India and China compete on a range of economic and security issues.
On 18–19 November 2013, the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy at the Australian National Universi... more On 18–19 November 2013, the Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy at the Australian National University held a workshop, drawing together leading specialists from Australia, Afghanistan, and the wider world. The contextof the workshop was a growing sense that the political and military transitions in Afghanistan are likely to be critical to its long-term prospects for stability. The input of experts is paramount to making sense ofAfghanistan‘s transitions. Australian participants were joined by colleagues who travelled from Afghanistan, the United States, England, and Germany. In addition, several United Nations and Australian Government practitioners were present as observers and participated actively in the discussions. The workshop was held with the generous financial support of both the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Research School of Asia & the Pacific (RSAP) at The Australian National University. The workshop resulted in an in-depth exploration of the most pressing challenges facing Afghanistan and its international and regional partners—issues of peace and security, governance, accountability and human rights, among them