The Role of Civil Society in Interethnic Peacebuilding in Afghanistan (2001 to the Present)

This study explored the role of civil society in interethnic peacebuilding in Afghanistan by examining the impacts of the institution’s relevant initiatives on interethnic conflicts in the country. The initial hypothesis in this study was that civil society in Afghanistan can play an essential role in promoting peace between and among adversarial ethnic groups. Interview data were collected from individuals with different ethnic backgrounds in Afghanistan. Analysis of interview responses revealed several major themes related to the social and psychological effects of civil society’s peacebuilding initiatives on members of different ethnic groups in the country. Based on the field data, supplemented with existing literature, the study then concluded that Afghan civil society and its relevant initiatives made contributions to interethnic peacebuilding by affecting individuals in multiple ways