Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan

The document examines the tension between 'modern' (secular/NGO-led) and 'traditional' (religious) civil society in Afghanistan after 2001. It argues that international donors and the Afghan government have adopted a narrow, technocratic view of civil society, focusing on formal NGOs as service providers while marginalizing influential religious actors like mullahs and ulema. The author identifies five key civil society functions performed by religious actors: socialization, public communication, mediation, intermediation, and resource distribution. The report highlights a precarious position for 'middle-ground' religious leaders who are targeted by both the government and insurgents, warning that excluding these actors risks pushing them toward radicalization.

• International donors and the Afghan government have applied a narrow definition of civil society that privileges formal NGOs and secular organizations, risking the exclusion of influential traditional and religious actors.
• Religious civil society in Afghanistan is diverse and not politically homogenous, consisting of pro-government moderates, Islamists, conservative traditionalists, and radical fundamentalists.
• Religious actors perform five primary civil society functions: socialization and social cohesion, public communication and advocacy, mediation and conflict resolution, intermediation, and social security and resource distribution.
• The mosque serves as a critical hub for public communication, where Friday prayers are used to spread government messages, mobilize against political actors, or promote development.
• There is a significant divide within the clergy based on education: those trained in government institutions tend to be modernists and closer to the state, while those from private madrasas are generally more traditionalist.
• While many government and civil society actors attribute radicalization to Pakistani madrasas, interview data from Sayedabad and Kunduz show that the majority of local mullahs were educated within Afghanistan.
• The relationship between the government and religious leaders is often transactional, with the state using the clergy's voice to legitimize policies (such as counter-narcotics fatwas) without establishing genuine dialogue.
• Religious leaders in the 'middle ground'—those supporting neither the government nor the Taliban—are in a precarious position, facing attacks from both sides and receiving little protection from the state.
• Despite political tensions, a majority of interviewed religious leaders in Kunduz and Sayedabad expressed positive views toward the government's development agenda and international assistance, provided it respects Islamic values.

APA

Borchgrevink, K. (2007). Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/d604b0bd-c25c-45c9-8f50-fca4fbb5145a/Borchgrevink 2007 Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan PRIO PAPER.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

Borchgrevink, Kaja. Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2007. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/d604b0bd-c25c-45c9-8f50-fca4fbb5145a/Borchgrevink 2007 Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan PRIO PAPER.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Borchgrevink |first1=Kaja |title=Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=November 2007 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/d604b0bd-c25c-45c9-8f50-fca4fbb5145a/Borchgrevink 2007 Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan PRIO PAPER.pdf?inline=true |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{borchgrevink2007religious, author = {Borchgrevink, Kaja}, title = {{Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2007}, month = nov, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/d604b0bd-c25c-45c9-8f50-fca4fbb5145a/Borchgrevink 2007 Religious Actors and Civil Society in Post-2001 Afghanistan PRIO PAPER.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }