Beliefs and International Legitimacy: The Janus Face of the Taliban's Political Worldview and Value Rationality

Abstract

This article analyses the inter-connection between the Taliban's international fortunes and their political worldview and value rationality. Drawing on their discourse and expert interviews, the paper offers an explanation for the Taliban's return to Kabul and hitherto lack of explicit official recognition despite their manifold external relations. Spanning three decades, the Taliban's ideational canon has proved to be a double-edged sword in their pursuit of international legitimacy. As insurgents (2001-2021), it underpinned their remarkable battlefield and governance resilience, contributing to their restoration to power. As rulers (1996-2001 and 2021-resent), it has put them on a collision course with certain international norms and security interests, precipitating the downfall of the first Emirate and lingering concerns about the second. This enquiry into the Taliban's creed is not only crucial for grasping the intricacies of their precarious international standing but also addresses a shortcoming in Western scholarship, where the role of the group's value system in wearing down - and ultimately outlasting - the Western occupation is often overlooked.