Last month we hosted an internal screening of our co-creative documentary. Participants met, watched the film together, and discussed its themes. The exchange soon moved beyond the film. The screening became a starting point to talk about Afghanistan more broadly. Guests discussed how Afghanistan is interpreted in global public discourse, how knowledge about the country…
In this volume, contributors examine the collapse of the Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021 from political, social, economic, and historical perspectives and treat it as a decisive rupture in the country’s recent history. It brings together differing and even opposing positions. It presents a broad range of perspectives and makes debates connected to Afghanistan…
What happens when years of research turn into a story that must be told?Based on the work of our research project, a documentary film has emerged. Between Change, Hope and Collapse traces the rise, transformation, and collapse of the media landscape in Afghanistan over two turbulent decades. From the hopeful beginnings after 2001 to the…
As we reflect on a productive and inspiring 2025, we are excited about what lies ahead. In the coming year, our research project Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere[s] as part of the Research Centre Communication for Social Change at the University of Leipzig will dive even deeper into the study of diaspora, media, communication…
As we look back on 2025, we reflect on a year shaped by exchange, critical dialogue, and collaboration around media, communication, and the Afghanistan diaspora. A key moment was our advocacy event in Berlin, which brought together scholars from the Afghanistan diaspora, policymakers, academics, and civil society representatives. Through keynote remarks, panel discussions, and a…
In this short video, one of the organizers offers a personal introduction sharing what inspired the event and what participants can look forward to on October 29, 2025. The conference is co-organized by Dr. Hazrat Bahar and Ali Reza Hussaini, both researchers at Leipzig University, who bring deep expertise and commitment to dialogue and critical…
We’re thrilled to introduce the speakers for our second panel, moderated by Dr. Merga Yonas Bula. This session explores how digital infrastructures, policies, and communities shape the lives of diaspora populations from governance and repression to integration and identity. Dr. Asli Telli – The Digital Dimensions of Transnational Repression: Mechanisms of Control and Sovereignty over…
We’re excited to introduce the speakers for our first panel, moderated by PhD candidate Ali Reza Hussaini. The session brings together diverse perspectives on journalism, media, and communication across borders and in exile.📻 Ahmad Zia Ferozpur – Voicing the Homeland from Exile: Radio Afghanistan International as a Site of Transnational Public Communication 💡 Dr. Merga…
Two researchers who will present their work in the poster session at our upcoming conference “Transnationalization Begins at Home – Unseen Dynamics in Public Communication.”Pauli Albrecht presents “Who speaks? An analysis of the news coverage of the Bundesaufnahmeprogram Afghanistan.” Andrea Bendaña Tapia presents “Alternative Communication Dynamics by Migrant-led Groups through Artistic Spaces in Germany.” Both…
What the Keynote will be about: In today’s connected world, many people live across borders linguistically, socially, and digitally. Yet research and policy on digital participation still often assume a nationally bounded citizen. In her keynote, Dr. Çiğdem Bozdağ argues for rethinking digital inclusion through a transnational lens. She will show how everyday cross-border media…