Sarajuddin Isar

Research Fellow @CICAM_RU @Radboud_Uni, PhD Political Economy @SOAS, SenResearcher @WAI_News, Visiting Scholar @AREUafghanistan, Chief of Staff @AFGCentralBank

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

🚨 Publication alert 🚨
Thrilled to share that my article, 'Checkpoint Taxation & Neo-Patrimonial Order in Afghanistan,' has been published in the Journal of Development and Change. The article examines how checkpoint taxation shaped Afghanistan’s neo-patrimonial political order

[FARAGEER/فراگیر @FARAGEER]

Afghanistan at Crossroads: Navigating a Multifaceted Crisis in a Changing World
On 19th May 2026, FARAGEER convened a one- day dialogue at #LSE @EdwardsMil38246, which brought together 46 UK-based #Afghan experts, civil society leaders, women human rights defenders, academics, former government officials along side FARAGEER #delegation to discuss the most urgent challenges Afghanistan is facing.
The aim of this event was to provide safe space to #Afghans to collectively #reflect on the evolving situation within Afghanistan, in the region and globally among #themselves.
The event was opened by Ms. #NargisNehan and #JoannaLewis. In three #panel discussions and #presentations, speakers #examined the situation and shared their perspectives.
The first panel focused on the #HumanitarianCrisis, Situation of #Economy, #Climate Change, Social Sector and security situation in the past four years, moderated by @seema_ghani with Dr. #OrzalaNemat, Dr. #SarajuddinIsar, Mr. @MozamilShinwari, Ms. #KamilaSiddiqi, Ms. #AdelaMohseni and #ParwaizIbrahimkahil as presenters/speakers.
The second panel was on different International Accountability Mechanisms for Afghanistan (ICC and ICJ), new Independent Investigative Mechanism on Afghanistan and the Gender Apartheid Campaign, moderated by #AsilaWardak, with Mr. #NatiqMalikzada and Ambassador #NasirAndisha as presenters/speakers.
The third panel discussed changing global order and challenges and opportunities for Advocacy on Afghanistan, having Mr. #IdreesRahmani, Mr. #HamidHakimi, Ms. #NigaraMirdad, Mr. #ArefSahar and Mr. #WaidBarmak as speakers.
The day concluded with the presentation of a summary of the discussions and points for the way forward by Mr. #ZulamaiNishat.
@AndishaNasir
@natiqmalikzada
@NehanNargis
@Orzala
@Isar2000
@JoannaILewis
@seema_ghani
@ZalNishat
@AsilaA
@MozammilKBL
@NigaraOmar
@AdelaMohseni

[Peer Schouten @peer_schouten]

@VVandenboogaard @MaxGallien @florian_weigand @jmantillaba @Isar2000 @Jethro_Norman @AbdirahmanEdle @gerardtmccarthy @peyman_zinati This special issue grows out of the "Roadblocks and Revenues" working paper series, made possible by the @CarlsbergFonden grant supporting the TRADECRAFT project @diisdk, and by @ICTDTax and the @Armed_Groups. Thank you. 🙏

[Peer Schouten @peer_schouten]

@VVandenboogaard @MaxGallien @florian_weigand @jmantillaba Afghanistan: @Isar2000 shows how checkpoint taxation sustained a neo-patrimonial political order, and its unraveling. The Taliban's leaner, more predictable checkpoint regime won over trade elites where the government's extractive chaos drove them away. https://t.co/YQpk4w6YwE

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

https://t.co/PSC4Lmgkn5

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

🚨 Publication alert 🚨
Thrilled to share that my article, 'Checkpoint Taxation & Neo-Patrimonial Order in Afghanistan,' has been published in the Journal of Development and Change. The article examines how checkpoint taxation shaped Afghanistan’s neo-patrimonial political order

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

control in shaping Afghanistan’s political dynamics. I'd like to thank the editors and reviewers for their comments & the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) for funding the field visit to the USA as part of a project on Taliban taxation.

[Peer Schouten @peer_schouten]

And #2 is out: a wonderful longue durée study of checkpoints and state formation in Afghanistan by @Isar2000. Read it here, open access: https://t.co/YQpk4w6YwE

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

2. I'm very much looking forward to the invaluable insights & commentary from distinguished scholars Zachariah Mampilly, Thomas Barfield, Noah Coburn, Dinissa Duvanova, Kevin Narizny, and Norrin Ripsman. Hope to c many of u there for an engaging & thought-provoking discussion.

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

1. If u r in town, pls join us for the Fall 2025 Textor Book Manuscript Workshop Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. We'll be discussing my forthcoming book, Fiscal Failure in Afghanistan: The Political Economy of Taxation and State-Building.
https://t.co/5LVlIfEQ46

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

A timely and pressing topic, looking forward to reading it with great interest. Congratulations, @sbrazys_ucd!

[Samuel Brazys @sbrazys_ucd]

It's a thing that exists! If you want a free copy of The Invisible Hand(out) retweet this & I'll pick one name on the release date (8/12) & send it to you wherever you are! Or if you can't wait that long, the e-version is available at https://t.co/0x5czYvTaT

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

I am moving to https://t.co/5rV6PpDlyD - feel free to follow me there.

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

When everying is money and business, this happens. https://t.co/FanvGpHi0H

[Niamat Ibrahimi @IbrahimiNiamat]

Delighted to share that 'Mapping Futures for Afghanistan' will be published as part of @routledgebooks 's Durham Modern Middle East and Islamic World Series on 20 Oct 2025.

https://t.co/4Va2VbGAEz

[Sarajuddin Isar @Isar2000]

How Trump’s tariffs could hit developing economies – even those not involved in the trade war https://t.co/r4im6W1RBZ

[Palgrave Macmillan @Palgrave]

'Talibanland - Paradise Under the Shadow of Sabers in Afghanistan,' by @BonjourGeorgi, analyses the Taliban’s rise to power and its rule in Afghanistan from various perspectives. https://t.co/Wu3GhLklsf

[Peer Schouten @peer_schouten]

New publication alert!
🧵 Checkpoints, Transnational trade, and Conflict: How armed groups turn transnational trade into profits (and why it matters).

[Centre for Geopolitics @CamGeopolitics]

One week until: Small states, Russia and the West with @abrahamyan13

Join us for an in-depth discussion on the evolving geopolitics of the #Caucasus

Fri 28th Mar, 4pm to 5pm
Online
Info & reg: https://t.co/0haF8lGlXG

[Jean Christopher (Chris) Mittelstaedt @jcmittelstaedt]

Coming 31st March: https://t.co/s3uVQmPsf1