Hamid Obaidi, formerly an Assistant Professor of Journalism and Communication at Kabul University, relocated to Germany following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan.
Born in 1987 in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, Obaidi completed his secondary education at Abdul Hadi Dawi High School in Kabul. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kabul University, where he was later appointed Assistant Professor in recognition of his academic excellence. In 2017, he received a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in New Media at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. Upon returning to Afghanistan, he resumed his academic and administrative duties at Kabul University and served as Spokesperson for the Ministry of Higher Education.
Throughout his career, Obaidi has worked extensively with non-profit organisations and played a prominent role in Afghanistan’s media landscape. Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, he relocated to Germany, where he continued his academic work with Leipzig University and advocacy work by establishing AJSO in collaboration with media experts, journalists, and university professors. Some of his scholarly work has been published in international journals. His research interests include media ethics, journalistic professionalism, and social media.
Topic: The Culture of Journalism in Afghanistan: Attitudes and Performance of Afghan Journalists in the Workplace
This study explores Afghan journalists’ journalistic culture and professional identity in the conflict zone. This project investigates how Afghan journalists perceive their roles, navigate workplace challenges, and uphold journalistic culture under systemic pressure.
Employing a qualitative methodology, the study conducted in-depth interviews with 25 journalists residing within Afghanistan. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, ensuring the inclusion of diverse voices and perspectives based on professional experience, media affiliation, and geographic representation.
The project aims to contribute the first comprehensive empirical account of journalism practice in Afghanistan, offering insights into how journalistic norms and values are negotiated in conflict settings. The researcher is working on the findings and the results writing part, and the findings will be published soon.