Islamic Public Administration in Practice
The Taliban's “Gender Apartheid” Governance in Afghanistan
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17591950 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Parwiz Mosamim (0000-0001-6600-2250, Public Integrity Research Group (GRIP) Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) Lugano Switzerland, corresponding author), Jean-Patrick Villeneuve (0000-0002-1164-7497, Public Integrity Research Group (GRIP) Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) Lugano Switzerland) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-31 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Administration and Development (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0271-2075 • E-ISSN: 1099-162X |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/pad.70052 |
| OpenAlex | W7126400294 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 42 |
This article analyzes the Taliban's post‐2021 governance model through the Islamic Public Administration (IPA) framework, focusing on justice, equality, and women's inclusion. It asks: (1) How does the Taliban's governance align with core IPA principles? and (2) What are the implications of such governance for Afghanistan's public administration, particularly for women? The study employs qualitative methods, combining document analysis with 30 semi‐structured interviews with former Afghan female officials. Findings demonstrate a significant divergence between IPA's ethical, inclusive, and participatory orientation and the Taliban's exclusionary and coercive governance. The regime's centralized authority, weak meritocracy, and systemic removal of women from public life contradict Islamic administrative values emphasizing justice and public welfare. Interviewees consistently described the Taliban's rule as a politicized distortion of Islam that institutionalizes patriarchy, with many characterizing current conditions as “gender apartheid.” The article contributes to debates on Islamic governance, administrative ethics, and gender, underscoring the urgent need for inclusive governance in Afghanistan and similar contexts
Afghan · Citizen journalism · Corporate governance · Economic Justice · Islam · Sharia · Islamic Studies and History · Politics and Conflicts in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Middle East · Turkey's Politics and Society
PRISMA 2020 explanation and elaboration
Debate
Examining Public Administration Through the Islamic Lens
Beyond disaster vulnerabilities
Years of women representation in Afghanistan
Shrine Traditions of Wakhan Afghanistan
Islamic Bureaucracy in Public Administration Philosophy
One year on from the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan
Dwelling in an all-male world
Public Administration, Ethics and Epistemology
The Afghan women’s movement and gender apartheid
Women in government
The Taliban, radical Islam and Afghanistan
Islamic public administration and Islamic public value
Weber's analysis of legal rationalization
Governance and Public Administration Under the Taliban
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |