In an article for Tablet Magazine, together with my colleague Abdesalam Soudi, we discuss our role as two University of Pittsburgh professors, one Jewish and one Muslim, who initiated "Pitt Community United in Compassion" to address campus conflicts. These events were designed to cultivate a supportive, understanding environment

As the United States moves forward in Afghanistan, it should have one primary objective: supporting the resilience of the Afghan people to weather the storms they have in front of them.

Afghanistan taught us that a firehose of unaccountable aid can destroy a country’s democratic future. In Ukraine, we are making the same mistake all over again. Co-authored with Nataliia Shapoval. Published in Journal of Democracy August 2022 Drowning Democracy | Journal of DemocracyAfghanistan taught us that a firehose of unaccountable

In this op-ed for the National Interest, Akram Umarov and I examine Russia's strategy towards the Taliban. We argue that Russia has overplayed its hand in Afghanistan

In this explainer for Foreign Policy, I discuss the violent protest that swept the autonomous republic of Karakalpakstan that is inside of Uzbekistan. Unrest spread after proposed constitutional changes would have transformed its a autonomy.

Ukraine shows that a combination of democracy and decentralization can strengthen central government, even as power shifts away from it. This is especially important to acknowledge as Ukraine begins to think about the enormous task of rebuilding when the war is over.

New opinion piece in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. It discusses what we can learn from intellectual leaders and academics in both Ukraine and Afghanistan.

In an opinion piece for Slate, I argue that the collapse of the Afghan state was not inventible. You can read the entire piece here: Afghanistan Collapse Was Not InevitablePainting Afghan society with a broad brush only obfuscates the mistakes of those in power.SlateJennifer Brick Murtazashvili [https://slate.com/