In 2023, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered the formation of a commission to review and revise Afghanistan’s university curriculum. This commission, composed of more than 50 members—primarily religious clerics and individuals aligned with the Taliban’s ideology—was tasked with evaluating and reforming academic subjects. The result: 18 subjects were removed entirely, and another 201 were labeled “problematic” and deemed teachable only after revisions and substitution of course materials. This action echoes the first Taliban regime (1996–2001), when many social science disciplines were purged from universities and a long campaign to “Islamicize” education began.
The removed subjects are mostly from the fields of law, political science, sociology, philosophy, public administration and policy, and gender studies. Among the most notable are constitutional law, women’s sociology, governance and public policy, human rights and democracy, comparative religion, moral philosophy, and topics related to sexual harassment. According to the Taliban, these subjects were eliminated to align with Sharia and to prevent content they deem contrary to the policies of the Islamic Emirate. The 201 other subjects remain under scrutiny and will be allowed only if revised to fit the regime’s ideological framework.
Several factors explain this move. First, by eliminating core humanities and social science courses, the Taliban aim to shape the education system around their ideological principles and prevent the teaching of concepts or perspectives that conflict with their worldview. Second, this facilitates greater control over public opinion. By removing critical disciplines and replacing them with ideologically driven content, universities become centers for reproducing regime-aligned thinking, suppressing the emergence of independent thought. Third, weakening civil society and human rights institutions appears to be a strategic goal. By limiting education in these areas, the Taliban further their authoritarian rule and suppress potential dissent.
The consequences are far-reaching. Removing key subjects from the social sciences and humanities diminishes universities’ capacity to produce independent, critical thinkers. Institutions that should be spaces for research and free inquiry are transformed into vehicles for ideological propagation. This undermines the quality of education and research, curtails gender equality, and stunts social and cultural development. The elimination of courses such as women’s sociology and gender studies not only disregards women’s rights but also risks entrenching long-term structural inequality in Afghan society.
This trend draws parallels to post-revolution Iran in 1979, when universities were closed and curricula were redirected toward Islamic content. Iranian officials, including Ayatollah Khamenei, repeatedly warned of a “cultural invasion” by the West and the harmful influence of the humanities and social sciences. The Taliban’s concerns in Afghanistan closely mirror those of the Islamic Republic—both regimes perceive these disciplines as fostering independent and critical thought, which they view as a threat to their ideological control.
Curriculum revision and the removal of critical subjects will have long-term effects on Afghanistan’s social and cultural development. On one hand, these actions hinder students from gaining skills in critical analysis, independent research, and civic engagement. On the other, they restrict access to knowledge in fields such as human rights, civil society, governance, and policy—undermining the quality of education and isolating Afghanistan from global academic and cultural exchange. This could diminish the competitiveness of Afghan university graduates at both regional and international levels.
In the end, the removal of 18 subjects and the review of 201 others reflect the Taliban’s continued strategy to reshape universities in line with their ideological goals. These changes are not merely curricular adjustments—they represent an attempt to rewrite Afghanistan’s cultural and social identity. History shows that such restrictions have broad implications for academic freedom, human rights, social development, and a country’s ability to engage with the wider world. Instead of serving as centers for knowledge and critical thought, universities are becoming tools for ideological enforcement and public mind control. Under these conditions, the future of higher education in Afghanistan faces profound social, cultural and political challenges.
Mohammad Salim Mateen is a former university lecturer with a master’s degree in sociology from Tehran. He left academia after the Taliban returned to power and currently lives in a European country.
The views expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Amu TV.
