On January 16, 2022, the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies launched its research "Typology of Active Political Trend at the Universities". The research was launched via live discussion with researchers, Ramin Kamangar and Shahir Sirat, and critics of the research Dr Malik Sitez and Professor Nazif Shahrani, and moderation by Sabera Aitabar.
The discussion began with Shahir Sirat’s introduction to the research and briefing on the findings. Shahir discussed how political parties and groups that formed before and after 2001 infiltrated in Afghanistan’s universities and used the academic platforms for propaganda and recruitment. Jamiat-e-Islami Afghanistan, Hezb-e-Islami, Hezb-e-Wahdat, Jamiat-e-Islah, Taliban and ISIS were some of the most active political groups in the universities in Afghanistan. The least active parties in universities include Junbishe-Melli & The Society of Intellectuals (Jamiat-e-Feker). The research findings show that some of the students in these groups who oppose democratic concepts have threatened others with violence and Takfeer in university campuses in Afghanistan.
Dr Malik Sitez and Professor Nazif Shahrani critiqued the methodology of the research
Ramin Kamangar further discussed the nature, behavior and activities of active extremist political groups in universities. These groups include Jamiat-e-Islah, Hizb-ul-Tahrir, Taliban and Hizbe-Islami of Afghanistan.
You can find the full research paper below:
You can watch the full video of this discussion at the link below: