Higher education as a catalyst of peacebuilding in violence and conflict-affected contexts: the case of Afghanistan

Abstract

This article evaluates the role of higher education (HE) in peacebuilding in post-2001 Afghanistan. Drawing on other cases than Afghanistan, the article situates the role of HE within the general peacebuilding/conflict mitigation debates, followed by a discussion on ways HE might contribute to or undermine peacebuilding processes. The article conceptualises the link between HE and peacebuilding and/or conflict resolution and situates HE within broader peacebuilding agendas carried out in post-2001 Afghanistan. The article draws on the findings developed through interviews with (n = 10) of participants engaged in the process of peacebuilding and working and/or researching within the HE sector in Afghanistan. This article argues that while the sector is typically a very low reconstruction priority, it has the potential, if addressed strategically, to act as a catalyst for effective and sustainable post-war recovery.