Sohaila Erfani

Sohaila Erfani

Sohaila Erfani is an Afghan researcher and journalist with more than 15 years of academic and media experience. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Communication Studies at Aix-Marseille University in France, where her dissertation focuses on critical discourse analysis of the Taliban’s use of Twitter and digital media after the fall of the Republic.

Before pursuing her doctorate, Erfani served as an Associate Professor of Journalism at Herat University in Afghanistan, where she taught and mentored students in media, communication, and critical analysis. Alongside her academic work, she held leadership and editorial roles at Meraj Radio TV and contributed to advancing women’s presence in journalism and higher education.

Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, she was forced to leave Afghanistan and continued her Ph.D. studies in France. In 2024, after completing her immigration process, she relocated to the United States. She remains committed to research and advocacy on media freedom, women’s rights, and digital authoritarianism, with a particular focus on how extremist groups construct narratives online.

Sohaila has participated in several international academic and professional programs, including the Alfred Friendly Press Partners fellowship and investigative reporting conferences, and has contributed to collaborative projects supporting Afghan women’s access to higher education.

Sohaila says that AFPP Fellowship was more than training:
“The Alfred Friendly fellowship not only connected me with peers from across the world, but also gifted me a new family. It helped me realize that I am not alone in carrying the burdens and challenges of journalism. I remain deeply indebted to Randy, Scott, and the extraordinary AFPP’s team for expanding my vision and deepening my commitment to the profession of journalism.”