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Saei A, Zaki M B. Analysis of the Political Construction of the State in Iran Analysis of Civil Society in Afghanistan: Case Study of the Loya Jirga (1928 – 2003). JHS 2022; 13 (2) :251-276
URL: http://jhs.modares.ac.ir/article-25-44895-en.html

This paper examines the role of loya Jirga as a traditional civil society. The problem addressed by this study is defined in term of mismatch between actions of Loya Jirga as a traditional civil society and civil society functions; sometimes Loya Jirga has contributed to the process of democratization and occasionally assisted authoritarian rulers in Afghanistan. The paper aims to answer the question: what conditions make Loya Jirga contribute to the process of democratization in Afghanistan? Conceptual framework model used in the research is composed of socioeconomic underdevelopment, tribalism and limitation of Loya Jirga’s democratic action. The empirical findings indicate that if the rate of economic development increases and tribalism, as an anti-democratic political culture, is weak, Loyal Jirga contributes to the democratization in Afghanistan. It means that Loya Jirga has an institutional capacity to democratize the country, however, the nature of its functions depends on its economic, social and political contexts.