The publication series on “Promoting Democracy under Conditions of State Fragility,” which is being launched with the present issue, aims to contribute to a more precise analysis and understanding of the respective local situations. Each issue seeks to analyze the local situation and experiences made in a specific region. Another goal of the project is to extract conclusions that are also applicable in other contexts.
This first issue – a critical examination of the current political and social situation in Afghanistan, as well as the project activities of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in the country – is combined with a very political concern.
First, using Afghanistan as an example we want to depict the opportunities and risks involved in collaborating with tribal groups in which tradition plays an important role. Second, we are interested in a primary integration of a gender perspective – especially considering the tense relations in cooperative efforts with traditional groups.
We are pleased to have found the support of a number of well-known Afghan and international experts for this issue.