About Conference

This hybrid event aims to bring together Afghan and international scholars, and policymakers to engage with Afghanistan’s evolving crises and support its scholarly and professional communities. This important important event convenes at the University of Pittsburgh on October 3 and 4. ​

 Theme of the Conference: Taliban and Alternatives: Religion, Governance, and Society

While this theme did not dictate the selection of papers and panels for the conference, it serves as an intellectual anchor for participants, offering context for plenary discussions and keynote addresses. Through these discussions, the conference seeks to generate meaningful insights into Afghanistan’s governance, the role of religion, and the broader implications for regional and global stability. By framing the conference within this thematic lens, we aim to foster a structured dialogue on Afghanistan’s evolving political and social landscape, encouraging diverse perspectives on governance models, religious legitimacy, and societal well-being.

        About Keynote Speaker

Dr. Magnus Marsden is Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Sussex. A leading scholar of Muslim Asia, his work explores religion, globalization, identity, and cross-border trading networks, with extensive fieldwork in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, and beyond. He has published extensively on Afghanistan. He earned his PhD at Trinity College, Cambridge, and has held research and teaching positions at the Centre of South Asian Studies, SOAS, and Trinity College.