In this episode of Talibanology, podcast host Tamim Asey sits down with Emeritus Professor William Maley of the Australian National University—renowned scholar and author of The Afghanistan Wars, Rescuing Afghanistan, and What is a Refugee?

Drawing on decades of expertise, Professor Maley offers a sharp and sobering comparison between the Taliban’s first regime in the 1990s and their current rule. Has the group truly transformed from an ideological insurgency into a functioning government—or is it a return to authoritarian basics under a more polished facade?

The discussion goes beyond day-to-day Taliban rule dynamics to examine how the Taliban are reshaping Afghan society through social engineering, expanding internal surveillance and embedding the foundations of a 21st-century police state. We explore the collapse of the Afghan Republic, the failures of international diplomacy and the new strategic chessboard emerging in the region as powers like Iran, China, Pakistan, and Russia recalibrate in response.

With clarity, historical depth and critical foresight, Professor Maley unpacks what’s at stake for Afghanistan’s future and why the world should be paying close attention.

Tune in for a timely and thought-provoking conversation at the intersection of power, repression and regional geopolitics.