Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has undergone a sweeping transformation of its public sphere, one that has systematically removed women from nearly every visible and participatory aspect of society. In …
Repackaging Oppression: Cheryl Benard’s Rhetoric and the Politics of Privilege
In May 2025, Cheryl Benard, a former RAND Corporation analyst and wife of Zalmay Khalilzad, a former US negotiator with the Taliban, penned down an article titled “Afghan Refugees Should Not Fear Repatriation,” in which …