IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/indqtr/v81y2025i1p59-81.html

Political Participation and Public Perceptions: Testing and Revisiting Afghanistan’s Social Contract After Taliban 2.0

Author

Listed:
  • Nassir Ul Haq Wani

    (Nassir Ul Haq Wani works as Dean and Professor of the Department of Research and Development at Kardan University (ACBSP and IACBE Accredited), Kabul, Afghanistan; Director of the Kashmir Research Information System (KRIS), J&K, India; and Professor of International Trade and Finance at SoCE, Presidency University, Bangalore, India. Wani is a distinguished author and has primarily written on Afghanistan, BRICS, SAARC, Central Asia and ASEAN.)

  • Lyla Latif

    (Lyla Latif is the Chief Executive of Lai’Latif & Co. Advocates and a faculty member at the University of Nairobi, where she co-founded the Committee of Fiscal Studies. She holds a PhD in Wealth Taxation from Cardiff University and serves on Kenya’s Task Force on Emerging Technologies and Data Governance. Her work spans international tax policy reform, with a particular focus on decolonial approaches to public finance and digital economy regulation in developing nations.)

  • Ahmad Shah Ramez

    (Ahmad Shah Ramez holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from Kardan University, Kabul, Afghanistan. Currently stationed and working with UNAMA as a Political Affairs Officer, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), Central Regional Office, Kabul, Afghanistan.)

Abstract

This study applies the social contract theory to examine political participation in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. While recognising Afghanistan’s unique historical and cultural context, we argue that social contract theory provides a valuable framework for understanding governance dynamics in this complex setting. The study surveyed 400 respondents across six Afghan provinces, exploring public perceptions of governance, political engagement and democratic processes. Our findings reveal that despite Afghanistan’s distinct traditions, many citizens hold expectations of government that align with social contract principles. A majority (67.95%) believe the country is moving in the wrong direction, citing security, economic issues and restrictions on women’s rights as key concerns. Notably, 91.5% of respondents support elections as the means of selecting leadership, indicating a strong desire for democratic processes. The study also found widespread support (78.5%) for peace negotiations with opposition groups. These results demonstrate the relevance of social contract theory in understanding the evolving relationship between Afghan citizens and the Taliban government. By adapting this framework to incorporate local customs and Islamic governance principles, we gain insights into both the unique aspects of Afghanistan’s political landscape and the universal challenges of state-building in post-conflict societies. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of governance in non-Western contexts and offers valuable insights for policymakers and scholars working on state-building in complex cultural and political environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Nassir Ul Haq Wani & Lyla Latif & Ahmad Shah Ramez, 2025. "Political Participation and Public Perceptions: Testing and Revisiting Afghanistan’s Social Contract After Taliban 2.0," India Quarterly: A Journal of International Affairs, , vol. 81(1), pages 59-81, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:indqtr:v:81:y:2025:i:1:p:59-81
    DOI: 10.1177/09749284241308148
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09749284241308148
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/09749284241308148?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Loewe, Markus & Zintl, Tina & Houdret, Annabelle, 2021. "The social contract as a tool of analysis: Introduction to the special issue on “Framing the evolution of new social contracts in Middle Eastern and North African countries”," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    2. Sam Hickey & Sophie King, 2016. "Understanding Social Accountability: Politics, Power and Building New Social Contracts," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(8), pages 1225-1240, August.
    3. Nassir Ul Haq Wani & Mohammad Mirwais Rasa, 2023. "Dynamics of Trade Specialization and Performance of SAFTA: A Case Study of Afghanistan," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 24(2), pages 153-179, September.
    4. Nassir Ul Haq Wani, 2019. "Nexus between Openness to Trade and Economic Growth: An Empirical Investigation of Afghanistan," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 20(2), pages 205-223, September.
    5. S. Yaqub Ibrahimi, 2019. "Afghanistan’s Political Development Dilemma: The Centralist State Versus a Centrifugal Society," Journal of South Asian Development, , vol. 14(1), pages 40-61, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aimaq, Hasina & Rasa, Mohammad Mirwais & Islam, InamUl, 2024. "The Determinants of Innovation at Female-Owned Small and Medium Enterprises and Relevance in International Trade Dynamics: Evidence from Afghanistan," MPRA Paper 124567, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 22 Mar 2025.
    2. Jamalzai, Rahmatullah & Rasa, Muhammad Mirwais & Haq, Irfan Ul, 2024. "The impact of Tax Evasion on Economic Growth of Afghanistan: An Empirical Evaluation," MPRA Paper 125169, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 13 Mar 2025.
    3. Rasa, Mohammad Mirwais & Haq, Inamul, 2023. "Diversifying Transport and Transit Routes in Central Asia: Key Insights," MPRA Paper 123542, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 Nov 2023.
    4. Wani, Nassir Ul Haq, 2023. "Decoding Social Media’s Role in the Resurgence of the Taliban: A Literature Review," MPRA Paper 121874, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 09 May 2024.
    5. Akbari, Mohammad Sohail & Rasa, Mohammad Mirwais, 2025. "Challenges for Investors in Afghanistan: Documented History from the Ministry of Commerce and Industries," MPRA Paper 126242, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 13 Sep 2025.
    6. Caroline Dyer & Arathi Sriprakash & Suraj Jacob & Nisha Thomas, 2022. "The Social Contract and India's Right to Education," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 53(4), pages 888-911, July.
    7. Mashal, Khalid Ahmad & Rasa, Muhammad Mirwais, 2022. "Impact of Cultural, Economic and Political Factors on FDI and Trade Scenario:Empirical evidence from Afghanistan," MPRA Paper 122673, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 19 Nov 2022.
    8. Sophie King & Peter Kasaija, 2018. "State-movement partnership in Uganda: Co-producing an enabling environment for urban poverty reduction?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-098-18, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    9. Antragama Ewa Abbas & Thomas van Velzen & Hosea Ofe & Geerten van de Kaa & Anneke Zuiderwijk & Mark de Reuver, 2024. "Beyond control over data: Conceptualizing data sovereignty from a social contract perspective," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 34(1), pages 1-21, December.
    10. Aleksandra Kozłowska-Woszczycka & Katarzyna Pactwa, 2022. "Social License for Closure—A Participatory Approach to the Management of the Mine Closure Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-26, May.
    11. Jean-Benoit Falisse & Hugues Nkengurutse & Léonard Ntakarutimana, 2023. "Strengthening the community governance of healthcare services in ‘fragile’ settings: Evidence from Burundi and South Kivu, DR Congo," PLOS Global Public Health, Public Library of Science, vol. 3(8), pages 1-20, August.
    12. Dennis Puorideme, 2023. "An Ethnographic-Discourse Analysis of the Socio-political Effects of Interaction Between Cash Transfer Programme Authorities, Caregivers and Non-beneficiaries," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(3), pages 483-519, June.
    13. Bolor Khurelchuluun & Liang Cao & Wenshou Yan, 2023. "The Impact of Trade Openness on Economic Growth in Landlocked Developing Countries," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 28(1), pages 84-97.
    14. Rlung, Ahmad Saleem & Rasa, Mohammad Mirwais & Gull, Zubair Mubarak, 2024. "Effect of Afghanistan-Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement on Afghanistan Merchandise Trade: An Introspection and Literature Review," MPRA Paper 123183, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 25 Dec 2024.
    15. Nassir Ul Haq Wani & Farha Naz Khan & Faiq Naderi, 2024. "Electricity consumption and economic growth nexus in Afghanistan: impact, causality, projections, and policy implications," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(10), pages 1-25, October.
    16. George Jiglau & Marlies Hesselman & Audrey Dobbins & Katrin Grossmann & Rachel Guyet & Sergio Tirado Herrero & Anaïs Varo, 2024. "Energy and the social contract: From “energy consumers” to “people with a right to energy”," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(1), pages 1321-1336, February.
    17. Eva Sørensen & Jacob Torfing, 2021. "Accountable Government through Collaborative Governance?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-20, November.
    18. Wani, Nassir Ul Haq & Grover, Veena, 2024. "The Dwindling Trade Policy Scenario in India: Fresh Insights," MPRA Paper 120991, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 20 May 2024.
    19. Jean-Benoit Falisse & Hugues Nkengurutse, 2022. "Citizens Committees and Local Elites: Elite Capture, Captured Elites, and Absent Elites in Health Facility Committees," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(3), pages 1662-1683, June.
    20. repec:ehl:lserod:110766 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Christine JiaRui Pu & Poojan Patel & Gracie Hornsby & Gary L Darmstadt & Jennifer Davis, 2022. "Necessary conditions for sustainable water and sanitation service delivery in schools: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(7), pages 1-23, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:indqtr:v:81:y:2025:i:1:p:59-81. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.