Dr. Kaweh Kerami

Dr. Kaweh Kerami

Political Scientist.
Journalist.

Exploring political transitions, elite bargaining, and the collision of power, media, and democracy.

ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow Durham University, School of Government & International Affairs

About

Kaweh Kerami is a political scientist whose work sits at the intersection of political transitions, elite bargaining, and the relationship between power, media, and democracy.

He is currently an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at Durham University’s School of Government and International Affairs, where he leads a funded project on elections, rents, and war‑to‑peace transitions. His professional path bridges academia, journalism, and policy — he has held roles at the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights (Lund University), the BBC World Service, and the American University of Afghanistan, and has lectured on public policy and political journalism across several institutions.

Beyond his academic work, he pursues photography as a means of capturing life’s quieter, reflective moments.

Education

  • 2024 PhD in International DevelopmentSOAS University of London
  • 2016 MSc in International Crimes & CriminologyVrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • 2015 MSc in Comparative & European PoliticsVrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • 2012 BSc in Political ScienceVrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Academic Appointments

  • ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow
    Durham University, School of Government & International Affairs
    Sep 2025 – Sep 2026
  • Research Fellow
    Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights, Lund University
    Feb – Dec 2025
  • Master’s Thesis Supervisor
    SOAS University of London
    Feb – Oct 2025
  • Visiting PhD Fellow
    University of Amsterdam, Centre for Conflict Studies
    2023
  • Lecturer, Social Sciences & Humanities
    American University of Afghanistan, Kabul
    2019 – 2021

Professional & Media

  • Broadcast Journalist
    BBC World Service (BBC Persian)
    2016 – 2019
  • Country Expert
    Varieties of Democracy (V‑Dem) Institute
    2021 – Present

Grants & Awards

  • ESRC Postdoctoral Fellowship
    UK Economic & Social Research Council
    £121,676 · 2025–2026
  • Merit‑based Graduate Grants
    Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
    2013 – 2015

Research

How do political transitions unfold — and who shapes them — when power, media, and democracy collide?

My research examines how elite cooperation, state‑building projects and external interventions interact to shape local governance and legitimacy in conflict‑affected regions. My doctoral work focused on post‑intervention Afghanistan, investigating local power brokers, electoral politics, and the complexities of democratisation during 2001–2021.

As an ESRC Postdoctoral Fellow at Durham University, I lead a funded project — The Power of Bargaining: Elections, Rents, and War‑to‑Peace Transitions — that bridges fieldwork insights with comparative political economy, media studies, and human rights. My current research also examines authoritarian governance, information control, and digital authoritarianism.

Themes

  • Elite bargaining & political settlements
  • Political transitions & democratisation
  • External intervention & state‑building
  • Power, media & democracy
  • Afghanistan: governance & post‑2001 politics
  • Authoritarian governance & digital authoritarianism
  • Human rights in repressive environments

Methods

  • Elite interviewing in high‑risk settings (51+ interviews)
  • Process tracing
  • Comparative political analysis
  • Qualitative data analysis

Publications

Selected publications and presentations.

Book Manuscript

  • In prep.

    The Palace or Death: Democracy, Violence, and the Unmaking of Afghanistan’s Republic (2001–2021)

    Monograph in preparation

Journal Articles & Chapters

  • 2024

    Erosion of Legitimacy: The Vicious Cycle of Disputed Elections and Poor Governance in Afghanistan

    Afghanistan 7, no. supplement: 50–65. Edinburgh University Press.

  • 2026

    [Chapter] in Democracy, Liberalism and Polycentrism in Afghanistan

    Edited by Omar Sadr & Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili. Lexington Books (Bloomsbury). Forthcoming.

  • 2022

    Afghanistan : l’échec du processus américain de démocratisation

    Moyen-Orient

  • 2021

    Drugs and Development in Afghanistan: National Policy and Actor Analysis

    AREU Working Paper. Co‑authored with Adam Pain & Orzala Nemat.

Selected Presentations

  • 2025

    Rethinking Engagement: Pathways to Peace and Prosperity in Afghanistan

    Basel Peace Forum · Invited Speaker

  • 2024

    Are Counter‑terrorism Strategies Effective?

    ECPR, University College Dublin · Paper Presenter

  • 2022

    The Crisis of Liberal Interventionism and the Return of War

    University of Copenhagen · Paper Presenter

Contact

Whether it’s research collaboration, media enquiries, academic supervision, or policy consultation — I’d be glad to hear from you.

Email
University Profile Durham University
Google Scholar Publications & citations