Drawing on the “ABC of Resistance” framework (Avoidance, Breaking, Constructive practices. Baaz, M. et al. 2023), Aitabar explores how Afghan women, living under conditions of political repression, navigate domination and constraint through everyday acts of defiance, protest, and creative social practices. The talk situates these practices within broader debates on gender, power, and agency, showing how women’s subtle and overt forms of resistance both challenge patriarchal and political structures and generate alternative spaces of solidarity and meaning. By focusing on Afghan women’s lived experiences, Aitabar highlights how acts of survival, care, and creativity become forms of political expression and sources of collective resilience.

Short bio
Sabera Aitabar is an Afghan sociologist who relocated to Switzerland with the support of Prof Sabine Haupt following the Taliban’s return to power. Her work focuses on Afghan women, particularly on their social practices of resistance and resilience.