Assignments PhD, SA654 N 2025

Assignment 1: The Brass–Canfield Analytical Matrix: Mapping Theory and Ethnography — From Construction to Coalition Task Overview This assignment converts the Brass–Canfield Matrix into a guided exercise in applied theory. Students will trace how Paul Brass’s categories of ethnic politics intersect with Robert Canfield’s coalitional forms in Afghanistan. Instructions Select your analytical focus: Choose one row (Canfield’s category) or one column (Brass’s concept) from the matrix. For each intersection, answer two questions: Locate it: Where do you find this interplay in the two texts? Quote or paraphrase. Interpret it: How does Brass’s abstract idea come alive in Canfield’s case? Write 150–200 words per cell, then a summary synthesis (300–400 words). Reflection (150 words): What did you learn about power, identity, and state formation by mapping theory against ethnography? Matrix for analysis: '''Canfield ↓ / Brass →''' '''Construction of Ethnicity''' '''State as Differentiating Force''' '''Elite Competition''' '''Reification through Institutions''' '''Class–Ethnicity Relation''' '''Core–Periphery Dynamics''' '''Tribalized Coalition''' Kinship politicized; tribal identity becomes ethnicity Administrative fragmentation; creation of maliks Maliks as ethnic entrepreneurs Malikship titles fix fluid lineages Kin solidarity conceals class inequality Peripheral autonomy and dependency '''Peasantized Coalition''' Economic suffering translated into ethnic idiom Land and tax policy ethnicize peasants Village elites and sectarian leaders compete Tax ledgers fix communities Class conflict expressed as sectarian grievance Rural peripheries challenge centralization '''Islamic (Saintly) Coalition''' Religious charisma crosses ethnic boundaries State co-opts pirs and saints Clerics compete for legitimacy Charisma institutionalized by stipends Symbolic capital substitutes for material class Saints bridge core and periphery '''Provincial Administration''' Bureaucracy creates categories Pashtun dominance institutionalizes bias Governors compete for patronage Offices and posts reify ethnicity State employment equals class mobility Administrators as carriers of the core '''Regional Stratification''' Mapping and census define groups Developmental favoritism entrenches hierarchy Regional elites seek foreign patrons Provincial borders fix ethnic zones Ethnicity intersects with class outcomes Core dominance and peripheral reaction '''Conflict & Accommodation''' Rebellions reactivate identities Repression and reward redraw differences New elites rise after revolts Peace settlements codify difference Economic reforms framed in ethnic language Revolt–co-optation cycle sustains state Evaluation The following rubric explains how your responses will be assessed. Each component corresponds to one dimension of analytical and reflective performance. Please read the descriptors carefully — they show what counts for accuracy, depth, and interpretive insight in your Brass–Canfield analysis. '''Component''' '''Marks''' '''Description''' Factual location of evidence 30 Identification of relevant excerpts and accurate textual mapping between Brass and Canfield. Application of theory 30 Clear and correct linkage of theoretical concepts (Brass) with ethnographic evidence (Canfield). Interpretive depth 25 Analytical richness: ability to connect abstract models with lived social realities. Structure & clarity 10 Logical sequencing, coherent writing, and readability of argument. Reflection 5 Thoughtful self-assessment or ethical insight gained through comparison. Submission Length: 2,000–2,500 words
Assignment 2: Examine the relationship between ethnicity, kinship, and regnal consciousness in medieval Europe. How does Reynolds’ concept of “regnal” identity offer a different perspective on the early formation of national identity?
Assignment 3: Analyze the ethnicization of the conflict in Afghanistan during the 1990s, discussing its causes, manifestations, and consequences. Highlight the role of regionalization, political groups, and unintended outcomes in shaping ethnic identities and tensions.