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Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History – A Complex Tapestry
Author: Dr. Naseem Rahimi, PhD. Dr. Rahimi is a renowned historian specializing in Central Asian history, with a focus on Afghanistan. She holds a PhD in History from Harvard University and has published numerous scholarly articles and books on Afghan history, culture, and politics, including several widely acclaimed works on the Pashtunwali code and its impact on Afghan society. Her extensive fieldwork in Afghanistan and her fluency in Dari and Pashto provide invaluable insights into the complexities of the nation.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP). OUP is a globally respected academic publisher with a long history of producing high-quality, scholarly works in history, political science, and related fields. Their reputation for rigorous peer-review and commitment to accuracy makes them a trusted source for information on complex topics like Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History.
Editor: Dr. Farahnaz Forotan, PhD. Dr. Forotan is a leading expert on post-conflict reconstruction and gender studies in Afghanistan. Her experience as a researcher and advisor on Afghan affairs lends credibility to the editorial oversight of this book.
Keywords: Afghanistan a cultural and political history, Afghan history, Afghan culture, Pashtunwali, political history of Afghanistan, Afghan society, Central Asian history, Soviet-Afghan War, Taliban, post-conflict Afghanistan, geopolitics of Afghanistan, cultural identity in Afghanistan.
Introduction: Unraveling the Afghan Narrative
Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History delves into the multifaceted history of Afghanistan, weaving together its rich cultural heritage with the turbulent political landscape that has shaped its destiny. The book aims to provide a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of this complex nation, moving beyond simplistic narratives and offering a detailed analysis of the key factors that have contributed to its current state. This examination tackles both the challenges Afghanistan faces and the opportunities that exist for its future development.
A Land of Crossroads: Geographical Influences and Early History
The book begins by exploring Afghanistan's strategic geographical location at the crossroads of Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. This pivotal position has historically made it a battleground for empires, a conduit for trade, and a melting pot of diverse cultures. The early history of Afghanistan, marked by the rise and fall of various empires and kingdoms, is meticulously examined, highlighting the enduring influence of these periods on the country's cultural identity and political structures. Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History emphasizes the significance of pre-Islamic traditions and the subsequent integration of Islamic beliefs and practices, shaping a unique Afghan identity.
The Rise and Fall of Empires: From the Mughals to the Soviets
The book then analyzes the impact of successive empires on Afghanistan, including the Mughal, Durrani, and British empires. The complexities of Afghan tribal society, particularly the Pashtunwali code of honor, are discussed in detail, revealing their influence on political power structures and inter-tribal relations. The devastating impact of the Great Game, the 19th-century geopolitical rivalry between Britain and Russia, is examined, showcasing how external interventions shaped Afghanistan's internal conflicts and its geopolitical vulnerability. The tumultuous period of the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) is analyzed in depth, exploring its devastating consequences for the Afghan people and the country's infrastructure. Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History sheds light on the rise of the Mujahideen and the subsequent emergence of the Taliban, examining the ideological underpinnings of these movements and their impact on Afghan society.
The Taliban Era and Beyond: Challenges and Opportunities
The rise of the Taliban and their imposition of a strict interpretation of Islamic law is extensively covered. The book analyzes the humanitarian crisis, the suppression of women's rights, and the destruction of cultural heritage that characterized this period. Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History also examines the international intervention following 9/11, the subsequent US-led war, and the complexities of nation-building in a war-torn country. The book explores the challenges of establishing a stable government, promoting economic development, and addressing deep-seated social inequalities. Crucially, Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History doesn't merely focus on the negative aspects; it highlights the resilience of the Afghan people, their diverse cultures, and their enduring hope for a peaceful and prosperous future. It explores emerging opportunities for reconciliation, economic growth, and the empowerment of women and marginalized communities.
Conclusion
Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History offers a vital contribution to our understanding of this complex nation. By meticulously examining its rich cultural heritage and its turbulent political history, the book provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities that Afghanistan faces. It transcends simplistic narratives, presenting a nuanced and comprehensive account that acknowledges the country's diversity, resilience, and the enduring hope for a brighter future. This book serves as an indispensable resource for students, scholars, policymakers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of Afghanistan’s past, present, and future.
FAQs
1. What is Pashtunwali, and how has it influenced Afghan history? Pashtunwali is a traditional Pashtun code of conduct emphasizing honor, hospitality, and revenge. It has profoundly shaped social relations, political alliances, and conflict dynamics throughout Afghan history.
2. What role did the Great Game play in shaping Afghanistan's history? The Great Game, the 19th-century rivalry between Britain and Russia, led to significant external interference in Afghanistan, fueling internal conflicts and instability.
3. How did the Soviet-Afghan War impact Afghanistan? The Soviet-Afghan War devastated Afghanistan's infrastructure, led to immense human suffering, and contributed to the rise of the Mujahideen and later the Taliban.
4. What are the key challenges facing Afghanistan today? Challenges include political instability, economic hardship, widespread poverty, gender inequality, and the ongoing threat of violence.
5. What are some of the opportunities for Afghanistan's future development? Opportunities exist in promoting education, empowering women, fostering economic growth through sustainable development, and encouraging regional cooperation.
6. What is the role of international community in Afghanistan's future? The international community plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian aid, supporting development programs, and promoting peace and stability.
7. How has Afghanistan's geography influenced its history? Afghanistan's strategic location has made it a crossroads of empires, influencing trade routes, cultural exchange, and leading to frequent invasions and conflicts.
8. What is the significance of the different ethnic groups in Afghanistan? The diverse ethnic groups – Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, etc. – have shaped the country's cultural landscape and political dynamics, often leading to both cooperation and conflict.
9. What is the current political situation in Afghanistan? The current political situation in Afghanistan is complex and evolving, characterized by the Taliban's rule and ongoing challenges related to governance, security, and human rights.
Related Articles:
1. The Rise and Fall of the Durrani Empire: This article examines the history and impact of the Durrani Empire, a significant period in Afghan history marked by expansion and consolidation of power.
2. Pashtunwali and its Impact on Afghan Politics: This article explores the complex relationship between Pashtunwali and Afghan political structures, examining its influence on conflict and cooperation.
3. The Soviet-Afghan War: A Legacy of Conflict: An in-depth analysis of the Soviet-Afghan War, its causes, consequences, and its lasting impact on Afghan society.
4. The Taliban: Ideology, Governance, and the Future of Afghanistan: This article examines the Taliban's ideology, their governance strategies, and explores potential scenarios for Afghanistan's future under their rule.
5. Women in Afghanistan: Past, Present, and Future: This piece focuses on the struggles and resilience of Afghan women throughout history and explores the challenges and opportunities for gender equality.
6. Afghanistan's Geopolitical Significance: This article analyses Afghanistan's strategic location and its importance in regional and global geopolitics.
7. The Impact of Opium Production on Afghanistan's Economy and Society: This article explores the historical and ongoing impact of opium cultivation on Afghanistan's economy and social structures.
8. Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Afghanistan: Challenges and Progress: This article assesses the efforts toward post-conflict reconstruction in Afghanistan, including challenges faced and progress made.
9. Cultural Heritage of Afghanistan: Preservation and Loss: This article discusses the rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan, the losses suffered during periods of conflict, and ongoing efforts for preservation.
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan Thomas Barfield, 2012-03-25 Traces the political history of Afghanistan from the sixteenth century to the present, looking at what has united the people as well as the regional, cultural, and political differences that divide them. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan Thomas Barfield, 2010-03-29 A major history of Afghanistan and its changing political culture Afghanistan traces the historic struggles and the changing nature of political authority in this volatile region of the world, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the Taliban resurgence today. Thomas Barfield introduces readers to the bewildering diversity of tribal and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, explaining what unites them as Afghans despite the regional, cultural, and political differences that divide them. He shows how governing these peoples was relatively easy when power was concentrated in a small dynastic elite, but how this delicate political order broke down in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when Afghanistan's rulers mobilized rural militias to expel first the British and later the Soviets. Armed insurgency proved remarkably successful against the foreign occupiers, but it also undermined the Afghan government's authority and rendered the country ever more difficult to govern as time passed. Barfield vividly describes how Afghanistan's armed factions plunged the country into a civil war, giving rise to clerical rule by the Taliban and Afghanistan's isolation from the world. He examines why the American invasion in the wake of September 11 toppled the Taliban so quickly, and how this easy victory lulled the United States into falsely believing that a viable state could be built just as easily. Afghanistan is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how a land conquered and ruled by foreign dynasties for more than a thousand years became the graveyard of empires for the British and Soviets, and what the United States must do to avoid a similar fate. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan Thomas J. Barfield, 2022-12-06 A major history of Afghanistan and its changing political culture Afghanistan traces the historic struggles and the changing nature of political authority in this volatile region of the world, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the Taliban resurgence today. Thomas Barfield introduces readers to the bewildering diversity of tribal and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, explaining what unites them as Afghans despite the regional, cultural, and political differences that divide them. He shows how governing these peoples was relatively easy when power was concentrated in a small dynastic elite, but how this delicate political order broke down in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when Afghanistan's rulers mobilized rural militias to expel first the British and later the Soviets. Armed insurgency proved remarkably successful against the foreign occupiers, but it also undermined the Afghan government's authority and rendered the country ever more difficult to govern as time passed. Barfield vividly describes how Afghanistan's armed factions plunged the country into a civil war, giving rise to clerical rule by the Taliban and Afghanistan's isolation from the world. He examines why the American invasion in the wake of September 11 toppled the Taliban so quickly, and how this easy victory lulled the United States into falsely believing that a viable state could be built just as easily. Afghanistan is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how a land conquered and ruled by foreign dynasties for more than a thousand years became the graveyard of empires for the British and Soviets, and why the United States failed to avoid the same fate. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: A Brief History of Afghanistan Shaista Wahab, Barry Youngerman, 2007 Located along the busy trade routes between Asia and Europe, Afghanistan was for centuries a place where a diverse set of cultures met and exchanged goods and ideas. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The War for Afghanistan: A Very Brief History Thomas J. Barfield, 2012-05-06 When it invaded Afghanistan in 2001, the United States sought to do something previous foreign powers had never attempted: to create an Afghani state where none existed. More than a decade on, the new regime in Kabul remains plagued by illegitimacy and ineffectiveness. What happened? As Thomas Barfield shows, the history of previous efforts to build governments in Afghanistan does much to explain the difficulties besetting this newest experiment. Princeton Shorts are brief selections taken from influential Princeton University Press books and produced exclusively in ebook format. Providing unmatched insight into important contemporary issues or timeless passages from classic works of the past, Princeton Shorts enable you to be an instant expert in a world where information is everywhere but quality is at a premium. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Understanding Afghanistan Abdul Qayyum, 2021-10-06 This book delves into the history of Afghanistan, its people, and its relationship with neighbors, to unravel the intricate politics and ethnolinguistic diversity of the country. It discusses the history of innumerable invasions which left imprints over the country and its people and created a complex fabric of different ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural groups. The volume looks at the various empires which warred over the land including the Persian, Greek, Mongol, and Sassanid dynasties, as well as the later interferences by the British and the Russians and the emergence of the Taliban. It examines the correlations between war, power politics, religion, local governance, and the opium trade and economy in Afghanistan. The author through personal stories and anecdotes of his visits and journeys in Afghanistan provides a very rich and extensive view of Afghan politics, culture and history. The relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan and Afghanistan’s unique position in the politics of the region is also a thread which runs through the entire book. This book will a great resource (and of interest) to researchers and students of politics, history, Central and South Asian Studies, war and international relations, political economy, and peace and reconciliation studies. It will also interest journalists, diplomats and international development organizations. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan Jonathan L. Lee, 2022-03-08 A colossal history of Afghanistan from its earliest organization into a coherent state up to its turbulent present. Located at the intersection of Asia and the Middle East, Afghanistan has been strategically important for thousands of years. Its ancient routes and strategic position between India, Inner Asia, China, Persia, and beyond has meant the region has been subject to frequent invasions, both peaceful and military. As a result, modern Afghanistan is a culturally and ethnically diverse country, but one divided by conflict, political instability, and by mass displacements of its people. In this magisterial illustrated history, Jonathan L. Lee tells the story of how a small tribal confederacy in a politically and culturally significant but volatile region became a modern nation-state. Drawing on more than forty years of study, Lee places the current conflict in Afghanistan in its historical context and challenges many of the West’s preconceived ideas about the country. Focusing particularly on the powerful Durrani monarchy, which united the country in 1747 and ruled for nearly two and a half centuries, Lee chronicles the origins of the dynasty as clients of Safavid Persia and Mughal India: the reign of each ruler and their efforts to balance tribal, ethnic, regional, and religious factions; the struggle for social and constitutional reform; and the rise of Islamic and Communist factions. Along the way, he offers new cultural and political insights from Persian histories, the memoirs of Afghan government officials, British government and India Office archives, and recently released CIA reports and Wikileaks documents. He also sheds new light on the country’s foreign relations, its internal power struggles, and the impact of foreign military interventions such as the “War on Terror.” |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Games without Rules Tamim Ansary, 2014-03-04 By the author of Destiny Disrupted: an enlightening, accessible history of modern Afghanistan from the Afghan point of view, showing how Great Power conflicts have interrupted its ongoing, internal struggle to take form as a nation |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The History of Afghanistan Meredith L. Runion, 2017-04-24 This chronological account traces the history of Afghanistan from pre-civilization to present-day events and considers the future of democracy in Afghanistan. For centuries, Afghanistan has endured control by a gamut of political regimes as a result of its strategic location along the trade route between Asia and the Middle East. The area has been at the center of constant conflict and only in recent years has recovered from the vestiges of warfare. The second edition of this popular reference offers a fresh glimpse at the country, showing modern Afghanistan to be a melting pot of cultures, tribes, and political influences all under the guiding belief of Islam. In addition to thorough coverage of the country's political, economic, and cultural history, the book provides students with an account of recent events in Afghanistan since 2007, such as the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan and the removal of NATO soldiers. Other changes include a revised timeline, an updated glossary, additions to the notable figures appendix, and an expanded bibliography that includes electronic resources. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Derailing Democracy in Afghanistan Noah Coburn, Anna Larson, 2014-01-07 This volume shows how Afghani elections since 2004 have threatened to derail the country’s fledgling democracy. Examining presidential, parliamentary, and provincial council elections and conducting interviews with more than one hundred candidates, officials, community leaders, and voters, the text shows how international approaches to Afghani elections have misunderstood the role of local actors, who have hijacked elections in their favor, alienated communities, undermined representative processes, and fueled insurgency, fostering a dangerous disillusionment among Afghan voters. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Negotiating Cultural Diversity in Afghanistan Omar Sadr, 2020-01-09 This book analyses the problematique of governance and administration of cultural diversity within the modern state of Afghanistan and traces patterns of national integration. It explores state construction in twentieth-century Afghanistan and Afghan nationalism, and explains the shifts in the state’s policies and societal responses to different forms of governance of cultural diversity. The book problematizes liberalism, communitarianism, and multiculturalism as approaches to governance of diversity within the nation-state. It suggests that while the western models of multiculturalism have recognized the need to accommodate different cultures, they failed to engage with them through intercultural dialogue. It also elaborates the challenge of intra-group diversity and the problem of accommodating individual choice and freedom while recognising group rights and adoption of multiculturalism. The book develops an alternative approach through synthesising critical multiculturalism and interculturalism as a framework on a democratic and inclusive approach to governance of diversity. A major intervention in understanding a war-torn country through an insider account, this book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of politics and international relations, especially those concerned with multiculturalism, state-building, nationalism, and liberalism, as well as those in cultural studies, history, Afghanistan studies, South Asian studies, Middle East studies, minority studies, and to policymakers. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Taliban and the Crisis of Afghanistan Robert D. Crews, Amin Tarzi, 2009-06-30 [This book] explores ... how has a seemingly anachronistic band of religious zealots managed to retain a tenacious foothold in the struggle for Afghanistan's future ... [It] investigates ... questions relating to the character of the Taliban, its evolution over time, and its capacity to affect the future of the region.--Dust jacket. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan Stephen Tanner, 2009-04-28 For over 2,500 years, the forbidding territory of Afghanistan has served as a vital crossroads for armies and has witnessed history-shaping clashes between civilizations: Greek, Arab, Mongol, and Tartar, and, in more recent times, British, Russian, and American. When U.S. troops entered Afghanistan in the weeks following September 11, 2001, they overthrew the Afghan Taliban regime and sent the terrorists it harbored on the run. But America's initial easy victory is in sharp contrast to the difficulties it faces today in confronting the Taliban resurgence. Originally published in 2002, Stephen Tanner's Afghanistan has now been completely updated to include the crucial turn of events since America first entered the country. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: A Political and Economic History of the Jews of Afghanistan Sara Koplik, 2015-07-14 A Political and Economic History of the Jews of Afghanistan by Sara Koplik describes the situation of Jews in that country during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, particularly 1839-1952. It examines the political, economic and social conditions they faced as religious minorities. The work focuses upon harsh governmental economic policies of the 1930s and 1940s spearheaded by 'Abd al-Majid Khan Zabuli which caused the impoverishment and suffering of both the local community and refugees from Soviet Central Asia. The question of Nazi influence in Afghanistan is addressed, with the author arguing that it was mainly limited to the economic sphere. An examination of the appeal of Zionism and the community's immigration to Israel is included. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan Thomas J. Barfield, 2014-10-01 The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 focused international attention on this country for the first time in nearly a century. The need for reliable information has only become been greater. Because of their traditional xenophobia toward the West, successive Afghan governments have restricted the number of scholars permitted to undertake extensive fieldwork. For this reason Thomas Barfield's study of the Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan is a welcome addition to the literature, a literature which is not likely to grow in the coming years as war, domestic unrest and restrictive travel policies continue to make the research environment in Afghanistan unfavorable. The Central Asian Arabs are a little-known people of northeastern Afghanistan. This book is an account of the changes that have taken place in their way of life over the twentieth century as they switched from a form of subsistence pastoralism to a cash economy. Barfield's research constitutes a substantial revision of the standard hypothesis on the economic and social status of nomadic pastoralists, as originally posited by Fredrik Barth. One of Barfield's main purposes is to provide a case study that illustrates the wide-ranging complexity of pastoral nomadism, its integration into a regional economy, and how structural changes have occurred within the pastoral economy itself. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: A Political and Diplomatic History of Afghanistan, 1863-1901 M. Hasan Kakar, 2006 Afghanistan emerged as a nation-state after Amir 'Abd al-Rahman Khan consolidated the central authority in its most formative period of its history in the late nineteenth century. All this at a time when the two expanding Russian and British empires were approaching Afghanistan in what is known as the Great Game for mastery over the Central Asian states. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Tragedy of Afghanistan Bo Huldt, Erland Jansson, 2019-09-10 The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 stunned the world and ushered in a new period of superpower confrontation. Research into Afghan society was severely curtailed, and the ability to research the Afghan resistance was non-existent. This book, first published in 1988, was the result of a Swedish seminar that focused on the results of the war on the people and culture of Afghanistan. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Television and the Afghan Culture Wars Wazhmah Osman, 2020-12-14 Portrayed in Western discourse as tribal and traditional, Afghans have in fact intensely debated women's rights, democracy, modernity, and Islam as part of their nation building in the post-9/11 era. Wazhmah Osman places television at the heart of these public and politically charged clashes while revealing how the medium also provides war-weary Afghans with a semblance of open discussion and healing. After four decades of gender and sectarian violence, she argues, the internationally funded media sector has the potential to bring about justice, national integration, and peace. Fieldwork from across Afghanistan allowed Osman to record the voices of many Afghan media producers and people. Afghans offer their own seldom-heard views on the country's cultural progress and belief systems, their understandings of themselves, and the role of international interventions. Osman analyzes the impact of transnational media and foreign funding while keeping the focus on local cultural contestations, productions, and social movements. As a result, she redirects the global dialogue about Afghanistan to Afghans and challenges top-down narratives of humanitarian development. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Imagining Afghanistan Nivi Manchanda, 2020-07-09 An innovative exploration of how colonial interventions in Afghanistan have been made possible through representations of the country as 'backward'. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Culture and Customs of Afghanistan Hafizullah Emadi, 2005-06-30 Afghanistan has been at the crossroads of many cultures and civilizations, occupying a unique place in the cultural geography of Central Asia. Invading tribes and armies passed through ancient Afghanistan and left their imprint on the culture, customs, and way of life there. In recent history, Afghanistan has been the focus of international attention since the Soviet invasion and occupation of 1979-1989, the brutal civil war that ensued, and the subsequent U.S. invasion to topple the Taliban regime. As the country struggles to stabilize and rebuild, this volume is the first to reveal the people and ways of life that have been in flux for so long. Emadi brings an insider's knowledge and authority to the accessible narrative. Students and general readers will find a clear explanation of the land, people, economy, social stratification, and history as context for the chapters that follow. In the chapter on Religion and Religious Thought, the predominant Islamic religion is largely intertwined with political events that have brought Afghanistan such attention. The lesser-known literature and the arts are brought to light next. A strong Architecture, Housing, and Settlements chapter highlights many styles unfamiliar to most Westerners. Coverage of Afghan cooking and cuisine brings a more intimate understanding of the culture. The chapter on Family, Women, and Gender will draw readers in with its survey of how the family works, what is expected of women, and what courtship, marriage, childrearing, and education are like today. A standout of the Festivals and Leisure Activities chapter is the vivid rendering of the sport called Buzkashi, where men on horseback vie to move an animal carcass across a field to a goal. A final chapter on Lifestyles, Media, and Education describes the urban vs. rural lifestyles, the state of communications, and the prospects for schooling post Taliban. A country map, glossary, resource guide, and photos complement the text. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: War Comes to Garmser Carter Malkasian, 2013 If you want to understand Afghanistan, writes Carter Malkasian, you need to understand what has happened on the ground, in the villages and countryside that were on the frontline. These small places are the heart of the war. Modeled on the classic Vietnam War book, War Comes to Long An, Malkasian's War Comes to Garmser promises to be a landmark account of the war in Afghanistan. The author, who spent nearly two years in Garmser, a community in war-torn Helmand province, tells the story of this one small place through the jihad, the rise and fall of Taliban regimes, and American and British surge. Based on his conversations with hundreds of Afghans, including government officials, tribal leaders, religious leaders, and over forty Taliban, and drawing on extensive primary source material, Malkasian takes readers into the world of the Afghans. Through their feuds, grievances, beliefs, and way of life, Malkasian shows how the people of Garmser have struggled for three decades through brutal wars and short-lived regimes. Beginning with the victorious but destabilizing jihad against the Soviets and the ensuing civil war, he explains how the Taliban movement formed; how, after being routed in 2001, they returned stronger than ever in 2006; and how Afghans, British, and Americans fought with them thereafter. Above all, he describes the lives of Afghans who endured and tried to build some kind of order out of war. While Americans and British came and went, Afghans carried on, year after year. Afghanistan started out as the good war, the war we fought for the right reasons. Now for many it seems a futile military endeavor, costly and unwinnable. War Comes to Garmser offers a fresh, original perspective on this war, one that will redefine how we look at Afghanistan and at modern war in general. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan's Islam Nile Green, 2017 This book provides the first ever overview of the history and development of Islam in Afghanistan. It covers every era from the conversion of Afghanistan through the medieval and early modern periods to the present day. Based on primary sources in Arabic, Persian, Pashto, Urdu and Uzbek, its depth and scope of coverage is unrivalled by any existing publication on Afghanistan. As well as state-sponsored religion, the chapters cover such issues as the rise of Sufism, Sharia, women's religiosity, transnational Islamism and the Taliban. Islam has been one of the most influential social and political forces in Afghan history. Providing idioms and organizations for both anti-state and anti-foreign mobilization, Islam has proven to be a vital socio-political resource in modern Afghanistan. Even as it has been deployed as the national cement of a multi-ethnic 'Emirate' and then 'Islamic Republic,' Islam has been no less a destabilizing force in dividing Afghan society. Yet despite the universal scholarly recognition of the centrality of Islam to Afghan history, its developmental trajectories have received relatively little sustained attention outside monographs and essays devoted to particular moments or movements. To help develop a more comprehensive, comparative and developmental picture of Afghanistan's Islam from the eighth century to the present, this edited volume brings together specialists on different periods, regions and languages. Each chapter forms a case study 'snapshot' of the Islamic beliefs, practices, institutions and authorities of a particular time and place in Afghanistan--Provided by publishe |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan St John Simpson, 2012 While the modern nation can trace its origins back to 1747, the history of Afghanistan is far more ancient. It has long been an ancient focal point of the Silk Road and human migration. While many native peoples such as the Kushans, Samanids, Saffarids and Mughals have founded their empires here, the country has also been the target of numerous invasions. Afghanistan is therefore one of the most culturally rich and diverse places on Earth. This lively book places this rich and ancient seam of creativity in its broad historical context and offers the reader a full appreciation of this remarkable country. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Modern Afghanistan M. Nazif Shahrani, 2018-02-10 What impact does 40 years of war, violence, and military intervention have on a country and its people? As the global war on terror now stretches into the 21st century with no clear end in sight, Identity and Politics in Modern Afghanistan collects the work of interdisciplinary scholars, aid workers, and citizens to assess the impact of this prolonged conflict on Afghanistan. Nearly all of the people in Afghan society have been affected by persistent violent conflict. Identity and Politics in Modern Afghanistan focuses on social and political dynamics, issues of gender, and the shifting relationships between tribal, sectarian, and regional communities. Contributors consider topics ranging from masculinity among the Afghan Pashtun to services offered for the disabled, and from Taliban extremism to the role of TV in the Afghan culture wars. Prioritizing the perspective and experiences of the people of Afghanistan, new insights are shared into the lives of those who are hoping to build a secure future on the rubble of a violent past. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghan Modern Robert D. Crews, 2015-09-14 Rugged, remote, riven by tribal rivalries and religious violence, Afghanistan seems to many a country frozen in time and forsaken by the world. Afghan Modern presents a bold challenge to these misperceptions, revealing how Afghans, over the course of their history, have engaged and connected with a wider world and come to share in our modern globalized age. Always a mobile people, Afghan travelers, traders, pilgrims, scholars, and artists have ventured abroad for centuries, their cosmopolitan sensibilities providing a compass for navigating a constantly changing world. Robert Crews traces the roots of Afghan globalism to the early modern period, when, as the subjects of sprawling empires, the residents of Kabul, Kandahar, and other urban centers forged linkages with far-flung imperial centers throughout the Middle East and Asia. Focusing on the emergence of an Afghan state out of this imperial milieu, he shows how Afghan nation-making was part of a series of global processes, refuting the usual portrayal of Afghans as pawns in the “Great Game” of European powers and of Afghanistan as a “hermit kingdom.” In the twentieth century, the pace of Afghan interaction with the rest of the world dramatically increased, and many Afghan men and women came to see themselves at the center of ideological struggles that spanned the globe. Through revolution, war, and foreign occupations, Afghanistan became even more enmeshed in the global circulation of modern politics, occupying a pivotal position in the Cold War and the tumultuous decades that followed. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Pearl of Khorasan C. P. W. Gammell, 2024-10-31 The city of Herat in western Afghanistan long sat at the edge of empires and served as a hub for trade and a conduit for armies. Yet it has been much more than simply a staging post or plaything of political ambition. It has been an imperial capital, a city of extraordinary wealth, and has played host to a cultural renaissance to rival that of Florence. The Pearl of Khorasan tells the history of this storied oasis city, from the invasions of Chingiz Khan in 1221 to the present day. An epilogue assesses the challenges Herat faces in the wake of Afghanistan’s recent turmoil. Throughout Herat’s cycles of conquest and habitation, several patterns emerge: the primacy of geography; the city’s strong identification with the fertility of the banks of the Hari River; and its reputation as a place of theological excellence, tolerance and cultural refinement. From the luminescent genius of the Timurid century to the destruction and cultural vandalism associated with the Taliban’s rule of Afghanistan and the post-9/11 conflict, Herat has hosted empires and experienced the cupidity and lust for power of foreign agents. Using Persian, Pashto and British sources, the author paints a vivid picture of a city in which he has lived, presenting a personal vision of its tumultuous history. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan's Endless War Larry P. Goodson, 2011-07-01 Going beyond the stereotypes of Kalashnikov-wielding Afghan mujahideen and black-turbaned Taliban fundamentalists, Larry Goodson explains in this concise analysis of the Afghan war what has really been happening in Afghanistan in the last twenty years. Beginning with the reasons behind Afghanistan’s inability to forge a strong state -- its myriad cleavages along ethnic, religious, social, and geographical fault lines -- Goodson then examines the devastating course of the war itself. He charts its utter destruction of the country, from the deaths of more than 2 million Afghans and the dispersal of some six million others as refugees to the complete collapse of its economy, which today has been replaced by monoagriculture in opium poppies and heroin production. The Taliban, some of whose leaders Goodson interviewed as recently as 1997, have controlled roughly 80 percent of the country but themselves have shown increasing discord along ethnic and political lines. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Kirghiz and Wakhi of Afghanistan M. Nazif Shahrani, 2002 With a new Preface and Epilogue written by the author after the fall of the Taliban explaining the extraordinary changes that have taken place since this book was first published in 1979, this ethnographic study describes the cultural and ecological adaptation of the nomadic Kirghiz and their agriculturalist neighbors, the Wakhi, to high altitudes and a frigid climate in Afghanistan. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan N. Nojumi, 2016-04-30 This book describes the turbulent political history of Afghanistan from the communist upheaval of the 1970s through to the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001. It reviews the importance of the region to external powers and explains why warfare and instability have been endemic. The author analyses in detail the birth of the Taliban and the bloody rise to power of fanatic Islamists, including Osama bin Laden, in the power vacuum following the withdrawal of US aid. Looking forward, Nojumi explores the ongoing quest for a third political movement in Afghanistan - an alternative to radical communists or fanatical Islamists and suggests the support that will be neccessary from the international community in order for such a movement to survive. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Islam and Resistance in Afghanistan Olivier Roy, 1990 This history of the Afghan resistance movement has been expanded and updated to mid 1989 to include its evolution over the last years of Soviet occupation as well as its relations with Islamic fundamentalist movements. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghan History Through Afghan Eyes Nile Green, 2015 Recent international intervention in Afghanistan has reproduced familiar versions of the Afghan national story, from repeatedly doomed invasions to perpetual fault lines of ethnic division. Yet almost no attention has been paid to the ways in which Afghans themselves have made sense of their history. Radically questioning received ideas about how to understand Afghanistan, Afghan History Through Afghan Eyes asks how Afghan intellectuals, ideologues and ordinary people have understood their collective past. The book brings together the leading international specialists to focus on case studies of the Dari, Pashto and Uzbek histories which Afghans have produced in abundance since the formation of the Afghan state in the mid-eighteenth century. As crucial sources on Afghans' own conceptions of state, society and culture, their writings help us understand the dominant and marginal, conflicting and changing, ways in which Afghans have understood the emergence of their own society and its relationships with the wider world.Based on new research in Afghan languages, Afghan History Through Afghan Eyes opens up entirely fresh perspectives on Afghan political, social and cultural life, providing penetrating insights into the master narratives behind domestic and international conflict in Afghanistan. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Afghanistan Thomas Barfield, 2022-12-06 A major history of Afghanistan and its changing political culture Afghanistan traces the historic struggles and the changing nature of political authority in this volatile region of the world, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the Taliban resurgence today. Thomas Barfield introduces readers to the bewildering diversity of tribal and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, explaining what unites them as Afghans despite the regional, cultural, and political differences that divide them. He shows how governing these peoples was relatively easy when power was concentrated in a small dynastic elite, but how this delicate political order broke down in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when Afghanistan's rulers mobilized rural militias to expel first the British and later the Soviets. Armed insurgency proved remarkably successful against the foreign occupiers, but it also undermined the Afghan government's authority and rendered the country ever more difficult to govern as time passed. Barfield vividly describes how Afghanistan's armed factions plunged the country into a civil war, giving rise to clerical rule by the Taliban and Afghanistan's isolation from the world. He examines why the American invasion in the wake of September 11 toppled the Taliban so quickly, and how this easy victory lulled the United States into falsely believing that a viable state could be built just as easily. Afghanistan is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how a land conquered and ruled by foreign dynasties for more than a thousand years became the graveyard of empires for the British and Soviets, and what the United States must do to avoid a similar fate. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Humanitarian Invasion Timothy Nunan, 2016-01-26 Humanitarian Invasion provides a history of international development and humanitarianism in Cold War Afghanistan. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Revolutionary Afghanistan Beverley Male, 2022-02-06 This book, first published in 1982, examines the reality of the so-called revolution in Afghanistan. It focuses on the career of Hafizullah Amin, considered in the West as a near-genocidal mass murderer, intent on establishing a personal fiefdom in Afghanistan. However, this book argues that he was a man struggling against impossible odds to preserve his country’s independence and at the same time drag it into the twentieth century. He commanded such loyalty and support within the Afghanistan Communist Party and the armed forces that the Russians had to invade to get rid of him. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: The Hazaras of Afghanistan S. A. Mousavi, 2018-10-24 Study of the second largest but least well-known ethnic group in Afghanistan that also confronts the taboo subject of Afghan national identity. Largely Farsi-speaking Shi'ias, the Hazaras traditionally inhabited central Afghanistan, but because of the war are now widely scattered. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: War, Exile and the Music of Afghanistan John Baily, 2016-09-01 In the 1970s John Baily conducted extensive ethnomusicological research in Afghanistan, principally in the city of Herat but also in Kabul. Then, with Taraki’s coup in 1978, came conflict, war, and the dispersal of many musicians to locations far and wide. This new publication is the culmination of Baily’s further research on Afghan music over the 35 years that followed. This took him to Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, the USA, Australia and parts of Europe - London, Hamburg and Dublin. Arranged chronologically, the narrative traces the sequence of political events - from 1978, through the Soviet invasion, to the coming of the Taliban and, finally, the aftermath of the US-led invasion in 2001. He examines the effects of the ever-changing situation on the lives and works of Afghan musicians, following individual musicians in fascinating detail. At the heart of his analysis are privileged vignettes of ten musical personalities - some of friends, and some newly discovered. The result is a remarkable personal memoir by an eminent ethnomusicologist known for his deep commitment to Afghanistan, Afghan musicians and Afghan musical culture. John Baily is also an ethnographic filmmaker. Four of his films relating to his research are included on the downloadable resources that accompanies the text. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Muslim Politics Dale F. Eickelman, James Piscatori, James P. Piscatori, 2004-08-15 In this updated paperback edition, Dale Eickelman and James Piscatori explore how the politics of Islam play out in the lives of Muslims throughout the world. They discuss how recent events such as September 11 and the 2003 war in Iraq have contributed to reshaping the political and religious landscape of Muslim-majority countries and Muslim communities elsewhere. As they examine the role of women in public life and Islamic perspectives on modernization and free speech, the authors probe the diversity of the contemporary Islamic experience, suggesting general trends and challenging popular Western notions of Islam as a monolithic movement. In so doing, they clarify concepts such as tradition, authority, ethnicity, pro-test, and symbolic space, notions that are crucial to an in-depth understanding of ongoing political events. This book poses questions about ideological politics in a variety of transnational and regional settings throughout the Muslim world. Europe and North America, for example, have become active Muslim centers, profoundly influencing trends in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and South and Southeast Asia. The authors examine the long-term cultural and political implications of this transnational shift as an emerging generation of Muslims, often the products of secular schooling, begin to reshape politics and society--sometimes in defiance of state authorities. Scholars, mothers, government leaders, and musicians are a few of the protagonists who, invoking shared Islamic symbols, try to reconfigure the boundaries of civic debate and public life. These symbolic politics explain why political actions are recognizably Muslim, and why Islam makes a difference in determining the politics of a broad swath of the world. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Our Latest Longest War Aaron B. O'Connell, 2017-04-03 American and Afghan veterans contribute to this anthology of critical perspectives—“a vital contribution toward understanding the Afghanistan War” (Library Journal). When America went to war with Afghanistan in the wake of 9/11, it did so with the lofty goals of dismantling al Qaeda, removing the Taliban from power, remaking the country into a democracy. But as the mission came unmoored from reality, the United States wasted billions of dollars, and thousands of lives were lost. Our Latest Longest War is a chronicle of how, why, and in what ways the war in Afghanistan failed. Edited by prize-winning historian and Marine lieutenant colonel Aaron B. O’Connell, the essays collected here represent nine different perspectives on the war—all from veterans of the conflict, both American and Afghan. Together, they paint a picture of a war in which problems of culture, including an unbridgeable rural-urban divide, derailed nearly every field of endeavor. The authors also draw troubling parallels to the Vietnam War, arguing that ideological currents in American life explain why the US government has repeatedly used military force in pursuit of democratic nation-building. In Afghanistan, as in Vietnam, this created a dramatic mismatch of means and ends that neither money, technology, nor weapons could overcome. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: Taliban Narratives Thomas H. Johnson, Matthew DuPee, Wali Shaaker, 2017 Shines a light on the Taliban's propaganda arm and its impact on the course of the war in Afghanistan. |
| afghanistan a cultural and political history: America in Afghanistan Sharifullah Dorani, 2019-01-24 Afghanistan has been a theatre of civil and international conflict for much of the twentieth century – stability is essential if there is to be peace in the Greater Middle East. Yet policy-makers in the West often seem to forget the lessons learned from previous administrations, whose interventions have contributed to the instability in the region. Here, Sharifullah Dorani focuses on the process of decision-making, looking at which factors influenced American policy-makers in the build-up to its longest war, the Afghanistan War, and how reactions on the ground in Afghanistan have influenced events since then. America in Afghanistan is a new, full history of US foreign policy toward Afghanistan from Bush's 'War on Terror', to Obama's war of 'Countering Violent Extremism' to Trump's war against 'Radical Islamic Terrorism'. Dorani is fluent in Pashto and Dari and uses unique and unseen Afghan source-work, published here for the first time, to understand the people in Afghanistan itself, and to answer their unanswered questions about 'real' US Afghan goals, the reasons for US failures in Afghanistan, especially its inability to improve governance and stop Pakistan, Iran and Russia from supporting the insurgency in Afghanistan, and the reasons for the bewildering changes in US Afghan policy over the course of 16 and a half years. To that end the author also assesses Presidents Karzai and Ghani's responses to Bush, Obama and Trump's policies in Afghanistan and the region. In addition, the book covers the role Afghanistan's neighbours – Russia, Iran, India, and especially Pakistan – played in America's Afghanistan War. This will be an essential book for those interested in the future of the region, and those who seek to understand its recent past. |
Afghanistan - Wikipedia
Afghanistan, [e] officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, [f] is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the east and …
Afghanistan | History, Map, Flag, Capital, Population,
4 days ago · Afghanistan, landlocked multiethnic country located in the heart of south-central Asia. Lying along important trade routes connecting southern and eastern Asia to Europe and …
What to know 3 years into the Taliban's rule of Afghanistan | AP …
The Taliban have ruled Afghanistan for 3 years. Take a look at their transition from insurgency to authority as they strive for legitimacy.
Afghanistan - The World Factbook
5 days ago · Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Afghanistan | Today's latest from Al Jazeera
May 29, 2025 · Stay on top of Afghanistan latest developments on the ground with Al Jazeera’s fact-based news, exclusive video footage, photos and updated maps.
Afghanistan - Country Profile - Nations Online Project
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since the Taliban took control, is a mountainous, landlocked country in South-Central Asia at an important geopolitical location. It …
World Report 2025: Afghanistan - Human Rights Watch
Afghanistan’s economic crisis left 23 million in need of humanitarian assistance; women and girls were disproportionally affected. Taliban edicts violated the rights of women and girls to...
Afghanistan country profile - BBC News
Mar 10, 2025 · Provides an overview of Afghanistan, including key dates and facts about this Asian country.
Afghanistan - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a country in Asia. It borders Pakistan in the south and east, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, …
Afghanistan Maps & Facts - World Atlas
Mar 7, 2023 · Afghanistan is a landlocked mountainous country in Southern Asia. It is situated in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth. It is bordered by six nations – by Pakistan …
Afghanistan - Wikipedia
Afghanistan, [e] officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, [f] is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the east and …
Afghanistan | History, Map, Flag, Capital, Population,
4 days ago · Afghanistan, landlocked multiethnic country located in the heart of south-central Asia. Lying along important trade routes connecting southern and eastern Asia to Europe and …
What to know 3 years into the Taliban's rule of Afghanistan | AP …
The Taliban have ruled Afghanistan for 3 years. Take a look at their transition from insurgency to authority as they strive for legitimacy.
Afghanistan - The World Factbook
5 days ago · Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Afghanistan | Today's latest from Al Jazeera
May 29, 2025 · Stay on top of Afghanistan latest developments on the ground with Al Jazeera’s fact-based news, exclusive video footage, photos and updated maps.
Afghanistan - Country Profile - Nations Online Project
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan since the Taliban took control, is a mountainous, landlocked country in South-Central Asia at an important geopolitical location. It …
World Report 2025: Afghanistan - Human Rights Watch
Afghanistan’s economic crisis left 23 million in need of humanitarian assistance; women and girls were disproportionally affected. Taliban edicts violated the rights of women and girls to...
Afghanistan country profile - BBC News
Mar 10, 2025 · Provides an overview of Afghanistan, including key dates and facts about this Asian country.
Afghanistan - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a country in Asia. It borders Pakistan in the south and east, Iran in the west, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, …
Afghanistan Maps & Facts - World Atlas
Mar 7, 2023 · Afghanistan is a landlocked mountainous country in Southern Asia. It is situated in the Northern and Eastern hemispheres of the Earth. It is bordered by six nations – by Pakistan …
