Genealogy of Institutional Stagnation in Afghanistan: An Examination of the Dialectic Between Tradition and Superficial Modernization (1921–2021)
Keywords:
Traditionalism, modern institutionalization, institutional entropy, critical discourse analysis, AfghanistanAbstract
This article seeks to explain the reasons behind the failure of modernization projects in Afghanistan over the past century by examining the dialectical conflict between the discourse of traditionalism and modern institutions. Employing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and a genealogical approach, the study argues that the collapse of the Third Republic in 2021 was not merely a military event but rather the outcome of “institutional entropy” generated by the dominance of the “regime of truth of tradition” over formal modern structures. The findings indicate that tradition in Afghanistan has functioned as a “discursive black hole,” absorbing modern signifiers and transforming them into mere shells for the reproduction of traditional and neopatrimonial forms of power. Ultimately, the study proposes a model of “compatibilist state-building” as a pathway for breaking this vicious cycle.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Abaidollah Hekmat Burhan, Mojtaba Maghsoudi, Katayon Sarlak (Author)
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