“Patterns of Authoritarian Rule in Iran and Afghanistan” - Presentations and Discussion

The Postdoc Network Studies on Conflicts and Authoritarianism, which is based at FSO, announces a discussion event in Bremen on 30 September 2025. It will be held as a pre-conference event of the ipb Conference (in English) and will take place from 15:30 until 17:30 in Room 40010, Forum am Domshof (Domshof 26, 28195 Bremen).

The programme features two keynote inputs by regional experts Dr. Tareq Sydiq and Sayed Maisam Wahidi, who will provide insights into their research on shifting modes of authoritarian engagement in Iran and the failure of externally driven state-building in Afghanistan. Together, they will shed light on the limits of authoritarian control and the conditions under which such regimes may face erosion. Following the inputs, a moderated discussion and Q&A session will take place.

About the Speakers

Dr. Tareq Sydiq will give a talk on “Mode-Shifting: Autocratic Participation during Political Crisis in Iran”. He is currently based at the Centre for Conflict Studies in Marburg. Having studied and worked in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan, his research has primarily focused on state–society relations under conditions of repression. His work addresses the questions: How can autocrats shape social dynamics, and how can social forces resist such coercion? At present, he is working on the interconnectedness of local and diaspora protests following the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan.

Sayed Maisam Wahidi will present on “Why State-Building Failed in Afghanistan: Lessons from 20 Years”, offering insights into the political developments in Afghanistan. He is currently a PhD Fellow at the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg. Sayed Maisam Wahidi studied in Tehran, Seoul, and Boston, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from Tehran University, Iran, as well as a Master’s degree in International Studies from Yonsei University, South Korea. His regional expertise includes South Asia and the Middle East, particularly Afghanistan and Iran. His research focuses on regional security, cooperative security, and the nexus between internal and external actors shaping state behaviour within the international system.

The Postdoc Network Studies on Conflicts and Authoritarianism
(Dr. Svetlana Erpyleva, Dr. Ekaterina Paustyan, and Yana Lysenko)