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October 29, 2026 From October 16 to 18, 2026, the Afghanistan Law and Political Science Association (ALPA) held its 2026 Annual Conference at American University in Washington, DC. The gathering brought together scholars in person and online for three days of research, discussion, and exchange on Afghanistan and the wider region. The conference program featured 17 panels and plenary sessions on Afghanistan’s political, legal, economic, social, and cultural life, as well as th

Oct. 17-18 Agenda Booklet The Afghanistan Law and Political Science Association, ALPA, is pleased to share the official 2026 ALPA Annual Conference Booklet for the conference taking place on October 17 and 18, 2026, at American University in Washington, DC. The conference will be held in the School of International Service, SIS Building, at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW. All information, including parking information and Zoom links, are included in the booklet.

2026 ALPA Annual Conference Oct. 17-18 This panel examines the role of international intervention and global responsibility in Afghanistan’s political, legal, security, humanitarian, and governance crises. The presenters explore how external actors, international institutions, legal mechanisms, aid conditionality, resettlement policies, and transnational networks have shaped Afghanistan since 2001 and after the 2021 collapse. Together, the panel asks what responsibilities the

This plenary panel examines Afghanistan as a neglected political, social, and historical reality after decades of war, intervention, state building, collapse, and international fatigue. Bringing together leading scholars and practitioners, the panel asks why repeated efforts at governance and nation state building in Afghanistan have failed, how centralization has shaped political exclusion and democratic weakness, and what lessons can be drawn from past interventions and alt

2026 ALPA Annual Conference October 2026 Issue Distinguished Voices Keynote Speakers We are honored to welcome leading voices on Gender Apartheid and Regional Studies as Keynote Speakers at the 2026 ALPA Annual Conference Heather Barr Advancing Digital Higher Education for Afghan Women Heather Barr is associate director of the Women's Rights Division at Human Rights Watch. She has researched human rights in countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua Ne

Oct. 5, 2026 The Afghanistan Law and Political Science Association, ALPA in Exile, is pleased to announce Bayhaqi Award for the Best Presentation at the 2026 ALPA Annual Conference. This award is designed to recognize presenters who communicate their research clearly, stay within the assigned time, and engage the audience effectively. It is also intended to encourage all presenters to prepare carefully and help make conference panels more focused, thoughtful, and productive.

We are delighted to invite you to share your recent scholarly publications for Exhibition in our upcoming conference, to be held at the American University. We warmly welcome submissions of published books, edited volumes, journal articles, book chapters, and other relevant scholarly materials. Our aim is to broaden awareness of your work among a diverse audience of scholars, practitioners, and students. Submission Guidelines Print Copies: Indicate via the submission form tha

by S.M. Sep.5, 2026 The Student Government Association (SGA) of ALPA College of Art and Science conducted its first welcoming event of the Fall Semester 2026 on August 22, 2026. The event provided students with an opportunity to learn more about the SGA, its goals, team members, previous activities, and upcoming initiatives, while als

Sep.5, 2026 by M. K. The ALPA College Association organized an educational workshop titled “Effective Learning and Its Methods” on September 1, from 8:00 to 9:00 PM Afghanistan time. At the beginning of the program, Ms. SM welcomed the participants and served as the moderator and facilitator of the workshop. The guest speaker and presenter of the educational workshop was Professor Tawab Danish,, who led the session and delivered the main presentation. During th

The Afghanistan Jessup Summer School 2026, organized by the International Law Students Association (ILSA), was conducted from August 2 to August 30, 2026, for the selected participants of the Afghanistan Jessup Program. The Summer School was designed to provide participants with comprehensive preparation for the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Throughout the month-long program, participants received structured training from experienced instructors,

On August 14, 2026, scholars, diplomats, journalists, human rights advocates, students, practitioners, and members of the Afghan diaspora gathered at American University in Washington, D.C., for the conference “Five Years Under Taliban Rule: Repression, Global Silence, and Afghanistan’s Resilience.” The event was organized by Rumi House, ALPA, Immigration Lab, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, AFCAR, Negotiating Ideas, AIMED, and ACPIS. The conference marked five

خانم پویا* من دختری هستم که در خانواده‌ای با افکار محدودکننده به دنیا آمدم؛ جایی که میان دختر و پسر تفاوت گذاشته می‌شد و حق آموزش برای دختران معنایی نداشت. در نُه‌سالگی، تنها به جرم دختر بودن، از مکتب محروم شدم. تهدید شدم، لت‌وکوب شدم و حتی جان من و عزیزانم به خطر افتاد—آن هم برای کودکی که تنها آرزویش رفتن به مکتب و ساختن آینده‌ای روشن بود. با این حال تصمیم نشدم. پت از پدرم به مکتب می‌رفتم؛ نه با یونیفورم، بلکه با لباس عادی. روزهایی بود که کتاب‌ها و وسایلم را در طویله خانه پن

Aug.2, 2026 by Ar.Mu The Moot Court Management team at ALPA Colleg recently conducted a training session on effective approaches to reading and analyzing the Jessup Compromis, led by Mr. Bakhtiar. The session helped participants develop a more systematic and strategic approach to one of the most important stages of Jessup preparation. Mr. Bakhtiar is a prominent lawyer with extensive experience in the Jessup Moot Court Competition. Over the years, he has pa

Jul.28, 2026 by Ar.Mu The ALPA Jessup teams recently participated in an insightful training session on oral advocacy, legal argument, and presentation skills, organized by the Moot Court Management team at ALPA College and led by Parwiz Esmati. Mr. Esmati currently practices in construction litigation and claims support at Kraftson Caudle. He also brings extensive Jessup experience, having won a national round and received the Best Oralist award in two Phil

تبسم امیری* سلام، دختری به نام تبسم امیری(نام مستعار) هستم و در یکی از ولایات دورافتاده بدخشان زندگی می‌کنم. آن‌جا زندگی برای دختران از هر لحاظ بسیار مشکل است و دختران به هیچ چیز دسترسی ندارند. در آن‌جا به دختران حق زیادی داده نمی‌شود و صدای دختران بدخشان خاموش است. در منطقه‌ای که ما زندگی می‌کنیم، دسترسی به شبکه‌های اجتماعی نیست و حتی نمی‌توانیم با خانواده‌هایمان تماس برقرار کنیم، چون هیچ شبکه‌ای وجود ندارد و دختران همچنان در تاریکی قرار دارند. در ولایاتی که کمی پیشرفته‌تر

Highlights from 2025 ALPA Annual Conference Keynote Speech by Dr. Magnus Marsden Plenary Session with Jennifer Murtazashvili, Thomas Barfield, Nazif Shahrani, Hannah Hassani, Reza Husseini, and Christian Blake Pye, Book Talk with Anna Larson, Omar Sharifi, Omar Sadr, and Mujib Abed Workshop On Research and Publication with Omar Sadr, Thomas Barfield, Mirwais Balkhi, Zahra Tawana, and Mustafa Saqib Sarajuddin Isar presenting From Rebels to Rulers: The Political Economy of Tali

Call for Abstracts ALPA invites submissions for its 2026 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Building on its previous annual conferences, the 2026 ALPA Annual Conference will be one of the largest gatherings on Afghanistan studies, bringing together Afghan and international scholars across the humanities and social sciences. ​ Submission Guidelines Language: English, Farsi, or Pashto Abstract length: 250 to 300 words Bio length: 100 to 300 words Deadline (Extended): July 20

حنا جان* من به‌عنوان یک دختر افغان که در تمام سختی‌ها و مشکلات بزرگ شدم و با مشکلات زیادی در برابر درس و تحصیل روبه‌رو بودم، با وجود مخالفت‌های پدرم و مادرم باز هم ایستادگی کردم تا درس بخوانم. با شرایط بد مالی که داشتم، اما تمام آرزوهایم و هدف‌هایی که داشتم، بعد از تحولاتی که رخ داد، زمانی که تازه دوره مکتب را به اتمام رسانیده بودم، به خاک شد. اما خوشبختانه توانستم در بدترین شرایطی که داشتم، دو سمستر ادامه بدهم. بعد از این‌که دیگر به طبقه اناث اجازه داده نشد، واقعاً ناراحت شد

June 23, 2026 By Ro.M. ALPA successfully hosted its Certificate Award Ceremony on June 21, 2026, recognizing students who successfully completed their Certificate courses during the semester. The event brought together students, faculty members, and ALPA leadership to celebrate the learners’ achievements and academic progress. The ceremony opened with remarks from Dr. Bashir Mobasher, President of ALPA, who congratulated students on their accomplishments and enc

Hidden Light* I am a girl from Afghanistan, a girl who once left home with a bag full of books and a heart full of hope. But I never again reached my classroom. That day, it was not only the school gates that were closed; parts of my soul were broken, my dreams were silenced, and my future collapsed. Even now, when I look at my books, my heart aches, because I know my place is still there behind a classroom desk, with a pen in my hand and a heart full of hope that no one is a