Abstract
The 2001 invasion and subsequent occupation consolidated ethnicity as a 
 political force in Afghanistan. Inter-ethnic elite bargaining instituted an ethnocratic oligarchy, grounded in the occupation. Against this, everyday politics in Afghanistan has centred on social clientelism, founded on kinship networks rather than ethnicity. At the same time, formal political structures, expressed in the 2004 Constitution, are grounded in Islam and nationalist statehood rather than ethnicity. In recent years sharp disjunctures have emerged between ethnic elites and would-be constituents, creating some electoral fluidity and ethnic de-alignment. The paper addresses the relationship between occupation and ethnocracy in Afghanistan. It takes an historical perspective on the present, debating contending foundations for political solidarity and identification in the country.
Highlights
The 2001 invasion and subsequent occupation consolidated ethnicity as a political force in Afghanistan
Under the 2004 Constitution inter-ethnic conflict is subsumed in an effort at establishing multi-ethnic political solidarity through religion and nationalism
This article discusses the interaction between these forms of solidarity in Afghan history. It offers a brief history of ethno-national politics in the country, and discusses other forms of socio-political solidarity centred on clientelism and kinship networks
Summary
The 2001 invasion and subsequent occupation consolidated ethnicity as a political force in Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s post-conflict politics has strong power-sharing aspects, centring on informal structures of ethno-military parity. Ethnocracy, defined as rule by the dominant ethnic group, albeit in alliance with subordinates, does not align well with Afghan political traditions.
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