NYU Hosts A Panel on Dr. Bashir's Book, "Constitutional Law and the Politics of Ethnic Accommodation"
- ALPA
- Feb 27
- 2 min read
Feb.26, 2025
An amazing BookTalk event was hosted and organized by NYU Washington DC on February 24, 2025. The panel discussion focused on Dr. Basher Mobasher's book, "Constitutional Law and the Politics of Ethnic Accommodation: Institutional Design in Afghanistan". The panel featured Dr. Mobasher, Dr. Benjamin Hopkins, and Dr. Mirwais Balkhi, with an introduction by Mimi Kirk, the moderator.
Dr. Mobasher's book explores why some constitutions succeed in state and nation-building while others fail. He defined ethnic accommodation as inclusion, equity, self-governance, and the institutionalization of cross-ethnic coalitions. He assessed Afghanistan's progress in these areas, noting disparities in representation for smaller ethnic groups, limitations in self-governance, and inequities in laws and policies.
Dr. Mobasher critiques existing theories of consociationalism and centripetalism. He proposes a "jigsaw puzzle" approach, emphasizing the need for contextualization, inter-institutional and intra-institutional congruence, and fine-tuning of institutions for successful ethnic accommodation.
Discussants offered valuable insights:
Dr. Balkhi praised the book's focus on institutional design and its use of evidence and surveys. He highlighted the book's identification of ground conflicts and its development of specific terms relevant to Afghanistan. He also offered comments the book's multidisciplinary approach, and the connection between presidential authority and ethnic accommodation.
Dr. Hopkins commended the book as a significant contribution to Afghan scholarship. He noted its role in a long history of Afghan constitutionalism and its success in de-exceptionalizing Afghanistan by placing it within a broader comparative framework. He questioned the overemphasis on ethnic division and asked Dr. Mobasher to expand on the characterization of Afghanistan as a divided rather than a fragmented society.
During the Q&A, Dr. Mobasher responded to the discussants' comments, elaborating on his multidisciplinary approach, research methodology, and the importance of public attitudes and circumstances in shaping national identity. He also addressed questions about presidential loopholes, the application of social contract theory, declining voter participation, and past mistakes in Afghan constitution design.
