Afghanistan hasn't become the stable democracy with a strong central government many hoped for. But that doesn't mean there is no room for optimism. At TEDxColumbiaSIPA, Dipali Mukhopadhyay demonstrates that the spread of warlordism, whilst far from ideal, is providing a semblance of governance onto which Afghans are able to build institutions that can collect taxes, enforce a poppy ban, and construct paved roads -- institutions that have the potential to foster improved stability over time.

Dipali Mukhopadhyay is an assistant professor at SIPA, where she teaches international security. She received her doctorate from Tufts University's Fletcher School in the fall of 2010 and spent 2011 as a post-doctoral fellow at Princeton University. She is currently finishing a forthcoming book manuscript with Cambridge University Press entitled Warlords, Strongman Governors and State Building in Afghanistan. Her research has been funded by the Carnegie Corporation, the Eisenhower Institute, the Smith Richardson Foundation, the US Institute of Peace, Harvard Law School, and the US Department of Education. She has worked with the US Department of Defense, the Canadian government, the US military, and the World Bank.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)