Zaman. Afghanistan's 2014 Elections and the Condorcet Candidate Theory

• The 2014 presidential elections in Afghanistan were a unique political moment in the country’s history that resulted in the creation of a National Unity Government based on a 50-50 power sharing agreement between the leading candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah. The role of the international community in this electoral result was undeniable, with the U.S. and UN engaging in behind-the-scenes negotiations as well as an independent audit. The 2014 electoral result directly contradicts the political theory of the Condorcet winner (the candidate who wins the majority of votes). This paper outlines the factors that contributed to the eventual outcome which included claims of fraud, the decision to not announce a winner, 2014 as a watershed moment, the National Unity Government as a solution for all, the historical norm of international interference, and the fact that Abdullah was positioned to lose the audit recount. This paper argues that the lack of one winner as well as the interference of the international community inadvertently set a precedent for un-democratic future transitions of power in Afghanistan. Keywords: 2014 Afghan Presidential Elections, Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah, National Unity Government, Condorcet Candidate Theory.
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Orban. Which Factors Promote and Degrade the Current Taliban Regime's Legitimacy?

• This paper examines the sources of legitimacy corroborating the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan, following the 2021 U.S. withdrawal. Delving into the multifaceted nature of legitimacy, this study explores the Taliban's limited success in areas such as monopolizing force, relative peace, establishing ideological unity, and implementing a justice system. However, the analysis uncovers crucial governance challenges, internal security threats, human rights violations, and economic struggles. Moving into the realm of external legitimacy, this paper explores the delicate balance the Taliban must strike between engagement with the international community and the risk of alienating hard-line supporters. The absence of formal recognition from any state raises questions about the Taliban's diplomatic ties and the role of foreign aid. As the Taliban seeks international legitimacy, this paper emphasizes the potential risks associated with endorsement by external actors and calls for a nuanced approach by the international community to avoid inadvertently strengthening the authoritarian regime. The paper concludes with insights into the risks associated with the Taliban gaining legitimacy, emphasizing negative implications for both Afghan citizens and global democratic norms. Keywords: Afghanistan, Legitimacy, Taliban, International Recognition, Human Rights, Security, Ideology
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Oxer. The Impact of Insufficient Gender Data & Female Rep. on Afghanistan's Gender Apartheid

• The United States failed to prioritize gender in numerous critical policy points in its handling of Afghanistan from 2001-2021, leading to a Taliban rule of Afghanistan since August of 2021 that fails to treat women as equal members of society. Had women been consistently prioritized in policymaking, the gender apartheid that we see today in Afghanistan would not have occurred. In this essay, I make the argument that both gender data and female leadership would have been highly beneficial in policymaking in Afghanistan to ensure women’s rights were considered in all steps of the policymaking process. To ensure a similar situation does not occur in future international relations, this essay makes the argument that greater female leadership, using feminist foreign policy as a central tenet of relationships, and increased research on the culture and on-the-ground realities of Afghanistan would result in a better society for all. Keywords: gender data, feminist foreign policy, evidence-based policy
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Kifle. Exploring the Aid Quandary in Taliban Controlled Afghanistan

• This paper delves into the intricate humanitarian aid crisis unfolding in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Its primary objective is to scrutinize the underlying factors contributing to the international community's reluctance to engage in a comprehensive humanitarian relief effort within the challenging context of Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Commencing with an overview of the current status of the humanitarian crisis and a foundational exploration of general humanitarian aid theory, this study delves into the three principal reasons behind the international community's hesitancy in delivering aid. These factors include the legitimization of the Taliban, concerns related to the accountability of humanitarian aid funds, and apprehensions surrounding human rights abuses. Additionally, the paper investigates the responses of the international community in other nations facing similar circumstances as Afghanistan in 2023, shedding light on the evident inconsistencies and hypocrisy. This analysis underscores the pervasive politicization of aid in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Ultimately, the paper contends that the depoliticization of aid efforts is achievable by prioritizing humanitarian principles across all relief initiatives. Keywords: legitimacy, acknowledgment, humanitarian assistance, corruption, impartial
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Jain. Intl. HR Law: Obligations of the Intl. Community in Afghanistan

• From 1996-2001, the Taliban was known for its traditional Islamic values and carrying out extrajudicial killings of ethnic minorities and women in public places. Twenty years later, with the US withdrawal in 2021, the Taliban has returned to power along with a rise in ethnic and religious violence as well as a women’s rights crisis that can only be described as gender apartheid. As suicide rates amongst Afghan women increase, the international community has found itself at a crossroads of whether it has an obligation under the law to intervene in Afghanistan, given the failed but costly US intervention which has left in place a regime very similar to the Taliban they went into Afghanistan in 2001 to defeat. Through the lens of international human rights conventions and norms, this paper argues that the international community has an obligation to uphold – or a Responsibility to Protect – the human rights of ethnic minorities and women in Afghanistan, regardless of the Taliban government’s recognition status. However, the principle of noninterference, Taliban interpretation of Islamic law, and its isolation from international affairs are obstacles to fulfilling these obligations. Keywords: gender apartheid, Responsibility to Protect (R2P), human rights violations, Taliban, ethnic violence, religious violence, Afghan women, international law, Afghanistan
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• Crittenden. The Economic and Political Impact of Sanctions in Afghanistan

• Farhan. Investigating the Relationship Between the Taliban and Afghanistan’s Narcoeconomy

• Bratton. Afghan Cultural Heritage Under the Taliban

• Carita. How Bargaining Failure in the U.S.-Taliban Agreement Led to the Fall of the Afghan Government

• Knapp. Exploring the Taliban’s Effects on Water Scarcity in Afghanistan

• Owens. An Analysis of Russian Foreign Policy Through A Realist Lens

• Wicker. How US Labeling of the Taliban Informs American Foreign Policy