For peacebuilding: Role and contribution of rural society and connection between rural society and government

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K20558
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 80010:Area studies-related
• Research Institution: Fukuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Yutaka Hayashi 福岡大学, 商学部, 准教授 (40779980)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: アフガニスタン / 地域社会 / 平和構築 / 農村部 / 統治機構 / 地域ネットワーク / ディアスポラ / 紛争影響下

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research examined a question: what the contribution of rural society in the context of peacebuilding in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Islamic Republic was replaced by the Islamic Emirate by Taliban in 2021. This research conducted several interviews by focusing on farmers, ex-combatants, and females. After August 2021, it was imperative to interviews those Afghans who escaped from the country. Those interviews confirmed the deteriorating livelihood, decreasing government support, and the increase of incoming remittance. Those contributed the stabilization of rural society. Since August 2021, it was observed that the re-emergence of informal governance in rural area like before 2001, and the emergence of distanced relationships with formal government structures. It is, however, in exchange of governance glowed during democratic system and freedom of mind and behavior those can be seen as "hope" among people. Those sacrifices for stability mean slow degeneration of the country.

Free Research Field

開発研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、平和構築と開発研究の分野において、民主的な政体が崩壊して、イスラム首長国となったアフガニスタンを対象としているが、紛争影響国という「場」においても、地方農村部が独自にインフォーマル・ガバナンスを維持させていることが明らかになった。また、海外からの送金が、紛争下で困窮していく農村社会を維持することに一役買っていること、しかし、現地において教育や行動の自由が制限されたとき、単なる経済的悪化ではなく、思想・信条の自由や行動の自由といった、人々の内面が制限、そして世代を超えて再生産されていくということを明らかにできたことは、本研究の学術的、そして社会的な貢献の一助となると考える。