AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere

Research Programme "Media System and Public Sphere of Afghanistan" at the University of Leipzig. It includes three fields: Research, teaching and transfer.

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

Preview Recap
Last month we hosted an internal screening of our co-creative documentary. Participants met, watched the film together, and discussed its themes. The exchange soon moved beyond the film. The screening became a starting point to talk about Afghanistan more broadly.

Guests discussed how Afghanistan is interpreted in global public discourse, how knowledge about the country is produced, and how it is represented. The film opened a shared reflection on how these narratives could be changed.

🎥 A short clip from the event shows moments from the screening and the discussion afterwards.

Watch it here:
https://t.co/SPbLdWKHfi

Thank you to everyone who took part and contributed to the conversation.

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

After three years of research, exchange, and collaborative dialogue, a new academic volume will be published.

The Collapse in Afghanistan: Insights from the Diaspora

In this volume, contributors examine the collapse of the Republic of Afghanistan in August 2021 from political, social, economic, and historical perspectives and treat it as a decisive rupture in the country’s recent history.

It brings together differing and even opposing positions. It presents a broad range of perspectives and makes debates connected to Afghanistan visible internationally.

Guided by a Communication for Social Change approach, the volume creates a forum where scholars and voices connected to Afghanistan share their analyses and engage in dialogue.

This work would not have been possible without the authors, whose insights, research, and commitment form the foundation of this volume. Collaborating with them was a pleasure and an honor.

(Alphabetically ordered.)

Zuliha Akrami
Sabera Aitabar
Tamana Aref
Atiq Arvand
Hazrat Bahar
Mirwais Balkhi
Mohammad Dawood Erfan
Abdul Bashir Fekrat
Kawa Jobran
Ramin Kamangar
Abumoslem Khorasani
Abdul Ghafoor Liwal
Fatima Sarkash

Our heartfelt thanks go to Abumoslem Khorasani for his dedication and substantial contribution to this book.
📅 The book will be published in August 2026.
📘 More information about the book is available here:
👉 https://t.co/5Qj3RMhLFi

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

What happens when years of research turn into a story that must be told?

Based on the work of our research project, a documentary film has emerged. Between Change, Hope and Collapse traces the rise, transformation, and collapse of the media landscape in Afghanistan over two turbulent decades.

From the hopeful beginnings after 2001 to the abrupt breakdown in 2021. The film foregrounds perspectives that are too often absent from international debates and centers voices from Afghanistan and the diaspora.

The documentary is the result of a close co-creation between journalism, science, and film art. Developed at Leipzig University, it brings together communication research, journalistic practice, and artistic storytelling, creating an innovative form of science communication that connects empirical insight with lived experience.

🎬 The trailer and further information about the film are now available on our website:
👉 https://t.co/VSGGG1gcXq

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

📢 Looking ahead to 2026!

As we reflect on a productive and inspiring 2025, we are excited about what lies ahead. In the coming year, our research project Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere[s] as part of the Research Centre Communication for Social Change at the Universität Leipzig will dive even deeper into the study of diaspora, media, communication and public spheres, advancing understanding and dialogue across academic and public audiences.

We are excited to share that an exclusive documentary film about our project will be released in 2026, alongside the publication of four books. These outputs will bring diverse perspectives on media landscapes, digital public spheres, and diaspora communication to broader audiences.

✨Building on these publications and the documentary film, we are also laying the foundation for a new research institution called “The Center for Afghanistan Studies”.

👉To stay updated follow us on LinkedIn and X, and visit our website to make sure you don’t miss any updates.

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

2025 in review: our work and key moments
As we look back on 2025, we reflect on a year shaped by exchange, critical dialogue, and collaboration around media, communication, and the Afghanistan diaspora. A key moment was our advocacy event in Berlin, which brought together scholars from the Afghanistan diaspora, policymakers, academics, and civil society representatives. Through keynote remarks, panel discussions, and a Science Slam, the event created visibility for diaspora scholarship and highlighted the urgent need for long-term support and structural inclusion in Germany’s academic and political landscape.
Another highlight was the Summer School Inbetweennesses at Leipzig University, guided by approaches to communication for social change and diaspora communication, workshops and discussions through a decolonial and postcolonial lens.
In October we held our third conference “Transnationalization Begins at Home” at Leipzig University. International and interdisciplinary contributions, along with a diverse audience from within and beyond academia, shaped discussions on dynamics in public communication and reinforced the value of inclusive and transnational perspectives.
The year concluded with a Workshop and Research Colloquium in Bayreuth and Erlangen organized by C4SC (Leipzig University), the University of Bayreuth, and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. The hosts, https://t.co/zP6S0FvfzD https://t.co/07JRAsMGpQ Mariam Popal (University of Bayreuth) and Prof. Dr. Abbas Poya (University of Erlangen), put together an exciting and packed program.
We sincerely thank all speakers, contributors, and participants who accompanied us throughout the year. We wish you a peaceful holiday season and a happy and successful New Year, and we look forward to continuing our work together in 2026.

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

Transnationalization Begins at Home: Unseen Dynamics in Public Communication

29th of October 2025 I Library Albertina, Leipzig University

We held our third MPS and C4SC conference at Leipzig University. The programme brought together around ten international, interdisciplinary, and intradisciplinary presentations, along with a keynote.
Around sixty people took part. Their diverse backgrounds, including many from outside academia, influenced the conversations throughout the day.
We thank all presenters and participants. See you next time.

Ali Reza Hussaini Hazrat Bahar Hamid Obaidi asli telli Cigdem Bozdag Ramin Kamangar Merga Yonas Bula (PhD) Zia Ferozpur Kefa Hamidi Andrea Bendaña Tapia Esmatullah Farzad Hussaini Abumoslem Khorasani

Here are some impressions in a short video (Many thanks to Dustin Jung).

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

Workshop and Research Colloquium - Leipzig/Bayreuth/Erlangen

Crossing Areas, Crossing Stories, Crossing Theories – Towards New Shores within Practices of Critique and Conviviality

From November 10 to 14 2025, we held a Workshop and Research Colloquium in Bayreuth and Erlangen organized by C4SC (Leipzig University), the University of Bayreuth, and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. The hosts, https://t.co/zP6S0FvfzD https://t.co/07JRAsMGpQ Mariam Popal (University of Bayreuth) and Prof. Dr. Abbas Poya (University of Erlangen), put together an exciting and packed program. The programme gathered around 40 presentations that engaged international, interdisciplinary, intradisciplinary, and postcolonial perspectives. Together they formed an intellectual space characterised by distinctive conviviality.
We shared learning and unlearning, listened to music, and heard poetry by Mariam Meetra. These activities created a great atmosphere.

Publications will result from this Workshop and Research Colloquium.

Abumoslem Khorasani Ali Reza Hussaini Hazrat Bahar Hamid Obaidi Ramin Kamangar Somaiya Meer Kefa Hamidi

Here are some impressions.

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

What drives the conversations behind our upcoming conference?

🎥In this short video, one of the organizers offers a personal introduction sharing what inspired the event and what participants can look forward to on October 29, 2025.

The conference is co-organized by Dr. Hazrat Bahar and Ali Reza Hussaini, both researchers at Leipzig University, who bring deep expertise and commitment to dialogue and critical reflection.

Dr. Hazrat Bahar is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for Communication and Media Studies at Leipzig University, in collaboration with the Institute of International Education Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF). His research focuses on social media, media systems, and political communication, particularly in the context of Afghanistan.

Ali Reza Hussaini is a researcher–practitioner and PhD candidate at Leipzig University. His work connects policy, research, and social impact, drawing on experience with institutions such as the Asia Foundation, the Administrative Office of the President of Afghanistan, and the Center for Information Resilience (CIR).
We look forward to welcoming you on October 29 for thoughtful exchanges and new perspectives.

#LeipzigUniversity #Conference #MediaStudies #Communication #Research #conference25 #diaspora #afghanistan #mediasystem #publicsphere #transnationalization

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

🎙 Meet our Panel Participants of the second Panel: “Diaspora Governance, Integration & Transnational Control”

We’re thrilled to introduce the speakers for our second panel, moderated by Dr. Merga Yonas Bula. This session explores how digital infrastructures, policies, and communities shape the lives of diaspora populations from governance and repression to integration and identity.

Dr. Asli Telli – The Digital Dimensions of Transnational Repression: Mechanisms of Control and Sovereignty over Diaspora Communities in Germany

Ali Reza Hussaini – Mapping Afghanistan Diaspora Organizations: Digital Infrastructures, Community Dynamics, and Communication Across Borders

Dr. Hazrat Bahar – Integrating the Afghan Diaspora in Germany: Communities, Challenges, and Policy Implications

Dr. Kefa Hamidi, Abumoslem Khorasani & Ramin Kamangar – AFGfluencers – Actors, Arenas and Issues: The Case of the Afghanistan Diaspora in Germany
Join us for a powerful conversation on how diasporic communities navigate control, connection, and communication in transnational contexts.

For more information visit our website: https://t.co/GPnBnTE7ol
#conference25 #diaspora #communication #transnationalization #afghanistan #mediasystem #publicsphere #panel #paneltalk

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

🎙 Meet our Panel Participants: “Journalism, Disinformation, and Transnational Media Practices”
We’re excited to introduce the speakers for our first panel, moderated by PhD candidate Ali Rreza Hussaini.
The session brings together diverse perspectives on journalism, media, and communication across borders and in exile.
📻 Zia Ferozpur – Voicing the Homeland from Exile: Radio Afghanistan International as a Site of Transnational Public Communication

💡 Dr. Merga Yonas Bula – Users’ Perception of AI-Generated Disinformation and Its Implications on Deliberative Quality: Critical Discourse Analysis of the Sub-Saharan African Diaspora

📰 Hamid Obaidi – Data Collection in Exile Journalism: Afghan Journalists Post-2021 Taliban Takeover

Join us as we explore how transnational media and exiled journalists navigate disinformation, identity, and communication in complex global contexts.
For more information visit our website: https://t.co/nRV27TYfJn

#conference25 #diaspora #communication #transnationalization #afghanistan #mediasystem #publicsphere #panel #paneltalk

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

📢 New Publication!
We are pleased to announce that our researcher Dr. Hazrat Bahar, together with Anja Wollenberg, has published a new study in the Global Media Journal.
The study explores international media development strategies and practices in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021. Based on qualitative interviews with 35 Afghan journalists, it provides a retrospective analysis of key patterns in international media assistance.
Findings show that many media support strategies aimed to influence attitudes and behaviors through media programs. The study also highlights how the international community underestimated the divide between liberal urban and conservative rural communities, with media programs often targeting liberal urban youth and thus risking further social fragmentation.
The authors call for more participatory and inclusive approaches that engage citizens in public affairs through the media and involve conservative communities to strengthen social cohesion.

📄 Read the full study here: https://t.co/FQ2u3B25nA

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

🎤Meet our #KeynoteSpeaker Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Bozdağ.

Her talk asks a timely question: how should digital inclusion be rethought when people’s everyday media practices are increasingly transnational and multilingual? While digital media connect lives across borders, research and policy still tend to assume a nationally bounded citizen. Dr. Bozdağ will outline what a transnational perspective means for future research, policy, and interventions.

Dr. Bozdağ is Associate Professor at the University of Groningen and principal investigator of the NWO Vidi project DigiMig. Her work spans media and migration, digital literacy, and media education.

We look forward to her keynote!

Find more information on our website: https://t.co/GPnBnTE7ol
#conference25 #diaspora #communication #transnationalization #afghanistan #mediasystem #publicsphere

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

We’re excited to announce the program for our conference 2025 “Transnationalization Begins at Home – Unseen Dynamics in Public Communication.”

We’ll kick off with a keynote by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çiğdem Bozdağ on digital inclusion in transnational, multilingual contexts, followed by panels on #journalism & #desinformation and #diaspora governance, #integration & transnational control.

A special highlight of the day will be the poster session during the break, creating space for #exchange, #networking, and lively discussion.”

For a more detailed overview visit our website: https://t.co/GPnBnTE7ol

#agenda #diaspora #afghanistan #mediasystem #publicsphere #conference25

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

Just 29 days to go until our conference!

This years conference with the title: “Transnationalization Begins at Home – Unseen Dynamics in Public Communication” takes places on 29th of October 2025, Library Albertina, Leipzig University.

As the third EC4SC event within the Media and Public Sphere of Afghanistan (MPS-AFG) program, the conference will bring together researchers, practitioners, and students for a full day of keynotes, panels, and exchange.

This year we ask: how are #transnationalization, #digitalization, and #platformization reshaping public communication? While often viewed as global or distant phenomena, these processes are deeply rooted in everyday life.

👉 Our aim: to broaden perspectives on transnationalization and #diaspora communication, encourage reflection on theory and methods, and create space for exchange across disciplines and generations.

We look forward to seeing you in Leipzig!

#conference25 #diasporacommunication #afghanistan #mediasystem #publicsphere #transnationalization

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

One last highlight from Summer School: What our guests had to say.
Watch the video and visit our website https://t.co/j4V0bwFnmy for more information about the event.
#summerschool #diaspora #afghanistan #decolonial #postcolonial #research

[AFGMP - Afghanistan Media System and Public Sphere @AFGMP_]

Recap Summerschool 2025
Leipzig University hosted the Summer School #Inbetweennesses (27–29 August 2025), bringing together scholars, activists, and journalists to explore Afghanistan and its diasporas through postcolonial and decolonial perspectives.
Workshops, keynotes by https://t.co/mmkbzaA2IY Mariam Popal, and diverse contributions highlighted themes of #communication, #translation, #identity, and #cultural resistance.
A cultural evening with poetry and music on 28 August created space for exchange beyond academia.
For more information about the event visit: https://t.co/Z0mR7Kfl65