In 2021, the Center for Governance and Markets launched the Afghanistan Project, which contributed to the continuity of Afghan scholarly and intellectual communities after the fall of the Republic of Afghanistan. The Heart of Asia Initiative amplifies and extends the Afghanistan Project by establishing a connected and collaborative hub to inform policy and explore the international affairs of Afghanistan and its neighbors. Our Initiative establishes a community for scholars and practitioners with a shared commitment to explore the political, economic, and social opportunities and challenges to prosperity and peace for Afghanistan and its neighbors.
The intellectual core of the program are our research seminars and policy briefs. These provide both a network and an opportunity for our experts and collaborators around the world to provide timely, thoughtful, and informed analysis of public policies issues crucial to the future of Afghanistan and its surrounding region. Our policy and issues briefs emphasize relevant topics to Afghanistan’s peace and prosperity, as well as emphasis on the domestic and international politics and economics of the region from east to west Asia. A centerpiece of the initiative is a virtual seminar and a network of scholars interested in the future of Afghanistan as well as its recent past. Substantively, our research and activities consider current and timeless topics of relevance to scholars and policymakers interested in the region.
How Qatar and Gulf Countries are Shaping Trajectories in Afghanistan, March 27, 2025
Aref Dostyar examines the Gulf states’ growing influence in Afghanistan, from ties with the Taliban to Western mediation, and their impact on the country’s political and social future.
Uzbek Diaspora in the United States, March 24, 2025
Shoirakhon Nurdinova explores the migration history of the Uzbek diaspora in the U.S., highlighting identity, integration, and return decisions across generations.
Regional Integration in Central Asia 2.0: New Crossroads, March 12, 2025
Akram Umarov discusses new challenges and opportunities for regional cooperation in Central Asia amid shifting geopolitical and economic landscapes.
Masterly Inactivity? The U.S. as Offshore Unbalancer in Central Asia, March 6, 2025
Barnett Rubin explores the United States’ approach to Afghanistan, highlighting how its failure to recognize its own role in the conflict led to an ineffective resolution
Afghanistan’s Education Crisis: A Scholarly Examination of Historical Decline, Systemic Barriers, and Grassroots Innovation, February 25, 2025
Ahmad Nawber examines Afghanistan’s education system—from its historical strengths to its collapse—and explores how community-driven models like the Rushd Foundation’s Hope Schools and online digital platform circumvent systemic exclusion.
Eurasia in an Age of Strategic Churn, December 2, 2024
Kamran Bokhari explores the evolving "arc of crisis" across southern Eurasia, examining how ongoing domestic and regional conflicts have led to escalating instability in many states within this strategic region.