Ideology, Clericalism, and Socialization: Some Reflections on the Sociology of the Afghan Taliban

Abstract

Before the occupation of Kabul by the Taliban movement in 2021, there had been some hopes that in power, it would behave very differently from how it acted when it earlier occupied Kabul from 1996 to 2001. This proved not to be the case. Always inscrutable, the movement prioritized ideology over interests, embodied a “theocratic-descending” model of authority, and was the product of a pathogenic pattern of socialization. Under such circumstances, the likelihood that it could succeed in securing legitimacy appears very low. A more likely scenario is the use of extreme coercion by the Taliban to crush any resistance.