The Resilient Oligopoly: A Political-Economy of Northern Afghanistan 2001 and Onwards

This paper studies the political and social dynamics of Northern Afghanistan, defined here as the provinces of Faryab, Jowzjan, Sar-i Pul, Balkh and Samangan, not just from the short-term perspective of political rivalry and personal competition, but also from the wider and longer-term perspective of the resilience and weaknesses of organisations, patronage networks, and institutions, by looking at the social and economic interests underpinning them.