Reaping the Long War: Aid, Rentiers, and the Elusive Peace in Afghanistan

• In Event: 257 - Section on Peace, War and Social Conflict Paper Session. Inequality in War and Social Conflict

Abstract

During the NATO intervention in Afghanistan, reconstruction and development initiatives became in- tertwined with combat operations in an effort to “win the hearts and minds” of the populace. Yet, despite the massive costs, innovative policies, and important implications of these efforts, it remains unclear what was accomplished, or, more broadly, how Afghan society was impacted. In light of this, I use this paper to explore the social processes unleashed by aid programs in different Afghan commu- nities and their influence on residents’ grievances. Specifically, I develop a dynamic model of how aid can generate the rise of new rentiers, who, in turn, can potentially disrupt existing class and status structures in a community. This disruption then results in greater grievances among the populace— even if it challenges existing inequality. I assess my model with in-depth, semi-structured interviews of residents in five distinct Afghan communities. The findings are expected to underscore the importance of existing class and status structures during post-conflict reconstruction and development. In addition, the paper draws on recent research into the sources of intrastate conflict to explore the links between aid, changes in social structures, grievances, and the elusive peace in Afghanistan.

Author

• Daniel Karell, New York University-Abu Dhabi