The AFPRO-Dataset
Protest Movements during Transitions from Insurgency to Consolidated Rebel Rule
Project Description
This research project examines how the transition from civil war to consolidated rebel rule changes the political environment for protest movements. Using Afghanistan as a case study, it researches protest activity before and after the Taliban takeover in August 2021. The project compares opportunity structures in areas controlled by the government prior to 2021 with those controlled by rebels. It further looks at how opportunity structures have changed since 2021.
The project consists of two sub-projects about former rebel strongholds and former government strongholds respectively. These subprojects should contribute to how social dynamics of political transformations at the end of conflicts are understood. Rebels depending on civil society during wars in order to sustain their insurgency is well researched. This projects adds to this by looking at how this dependency changes after the end of the conflict. Afghanistan, as one of few examples of full rebel victory, is a relevant case study to illustrate potentials and roles of protests after the end of civil war.
Duration: 2024-2027
Funding: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Coordination: Dr. Tareq Sydiq
Team: Abdullah Ammar, Malaiz Daud, Maren Schwarz
Team
Dr. Tareq Sydiq is the Principal Investigator of the project. His research focuses on protest movements and autocracies.
Contact: tareq.sydiqofficeuni-marburg.de
Personal Website: tasyd.com
Abdullah Ammar works as a PhD student in the project.
Malaiz Daud works as a PhD student in the project.
Maren Schwarz works as a student assistant in the project.
Dataset & Publications
This is where the dataset and publications about the dataset will be available in the future
Events
Dr. Tareq Sydiq, together with Dr. Felix Anderl, Dr. Jannis Julien Grimm, Nina Moya Schreieder, and Dr. Elias Steinhilper, gave a presentation on the paper “Palestine Solidarity in Intense Times: Insights from Mass Protests in Berlin” as part of the conference “Social movement studies in intense times – Conference in honor of the work of Donatella Della Porta” in Florence (June 3–5, 2026).
Dr. Tareq Sydiq gave a lecture titled “Lokale Macht, zentrale Verwaltung: Staatskonflikte in Afghanistan” as part of the Ringvorlesung Der Nahe Osten im Wandel: Zeitgeschichtliche Perspektiven at Frankfurt University (20.5.2025).
The project presented its work at the Annual Conference of the International Studies Association in Chicago (1.-5.3.2025).
The project organised a workshop on Protest Event Analysis with Dr. Simon Teune (4.4.2025)
The project presented its work at the 28th World Congress of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) in Seoul (12.-16.7.2025).
