11/06/2025
By Madison Feudo

The College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, invites you to attend a Master's thesis defense on "Negotiating Peace, Engineering Failure: The Consequences of the Doha Agreement and the American Withdrawal from Afghanistan."

Candidate name: Madison Feudo
Degree: Master's degree in Peace and Conflict Studies
Defense date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time: 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Location: Room 204, Dugan Hall, South Campus
Thesis title: "Negotiating Peace, Engineering Failure: The Consequences of the Doha Agreement and the American Withdrawal from Afghanistan".

Committee:

  • Advisor: Paula Rayman, Professor Emerita, Ph.D., Department of Sociology, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Elizabeth Williams, Ph.D., Department of History, University of Massachusetts Lowell 
  • Shawn Driscoll, Ph.D., Department of History, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract: This thesis examines the failure of the 2020 withdrawal agreement of the United States military from Afghanistan (the Doha Agreement) and its resulting social, cultural, and political consequences. Through a qualitative analysis of government documents, academic journals, and real-time media reports, this thesis explores how flawed diplomatic engagement, inadequate enforcement mechanisms, and the prioritization of the United States political image over sustained stability led to the takeover by the Taliban and the conditions that can be seen on the ground in Afghanistan today. This research situates the withdrawal within the broader historical and geopolitical context of U.S.-Afghan relations, emphasizing how decades of intervention and occupation shaped both the agreement itself and the fragile post-withdrawal environment. Findings indicate that the withdrawal not only failed to achieve peace on the ground, but also contributed to humanitarian crises, economic collapse, and concerns of both regional and international security. By analyzing these outcomes, this thesis underscores the implications of U.S. foreign policy decisions and highlights the importance of strong diplomatic strategies and thoughtful engagement when pursuing sustainable peace.