My research and professional work focus on governance, political institutions, civil society, public policy, and social change, with a particular emphasis on Afghanistan and comparative politics. My work examines how political institutions operate, how states and societies respond to political change, and how citizens and civil society organizations navigate changing institutional environments.
Alongside my academic research, I bring more than a decade of experience in higher education, program leadership, donor-funded initiatives, and institutional development. I increasingly integrate data analysis and evidence-based approaches into research and policy-oriented work.
Governance & Political Institutions: Research on political institutions, governance structures, state-building, and the relationship between formal institutions and political practice.
Local Governance & Decentralization: Research examining local governments, decentralization, local political structures, and relationships between national and subnational institutions.
Civil Society & Political Change: Research on civil society, civic space, political participation, and how organizations and communities adapt to changing political environments.
Afghanistan & Comparative Politics: Research on Afghanistan's political institutions, governance, state-building, and political change, with connections to broader comparative political questions.
Public Policy & Rule of Law: Research and professional work addressing public policy, legal institutions, justice reform, civic education, and institutional capacity.
Data & Evidence: Applying data analysis, visualization, and mixed research methods to identify patterns, evaluate programs, and communicate evidence for research and decision-making.
From Rebelocracy to Theocratic Sovereignty: Explaining the Durability and Contradictions of Taliban Governance in Afghanistan
This project examines the evolution of Taliban governance in Afghanistan and explores how a movement that emerged from insurgency has sought to consolidate and institutionalize political authority. The research focuses on the durability of Taliban rule, the transformation of governance practices, and the tensions and contradictions that emerge between ideological commitments, institutional consolidation, and the practical demands of governing.
From Intervention to Constraint: Civil Society in Afghanistan after 2021
This project examines the impact of decades of modernization efforts on Afghanistan's civil society, arguing that it represents a hybrid formation shaped by incomplete modernization and enduring local traditions. Explores the urban–rural divide between modern civil society institutions (NGOs, unions, social movements) and traditional structures (mosques, jirgas, customary shuras), and the dynamics of confrontation and collaboration between secular and religious systems.
“Caught Between Pakistan and the Iran War...”
The Diplomat | 2026
“Across Continents and Generations...”
Philanthropia | 2024
“Urban-Rural Divide in Afghanistan”
Jadaliyya | 2023
“Local Governance Lessons from Turkey”
Marmara University | 2021
My research interests are complemented by extensive experience managing donor-supported programs and institutional initiatives. I have worked on rule-of-law, legal education, conflict resolution, civic education, and higher-education programs supported by international organizations and donors.
Donor-Funded Program Management
U.S. Institute of Peace • U.S. Department of State • Open Society Foundations
Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
Program performance tracking, data collection, narrative reporting, and donor compliance.
Institutional & Academic Leadership
Higher education, academic programming, conferences, mentorship, professional development, and research networks.