Before Taliban - Genealogies of the Afghan Jihad

If you want to read one book to understand the background to the political conflicts in Afghanistan and the Taliban's rise to power, this is the book. Edwards tells the stories of three men--a Marxist politician, a tribal leader, and an Islamic militant--to explain the complex political culture of Afghanistan.

List of contents

List of Illustrations
Significant Persons and Parties
Preface
1. Introduction: Into Forbidden Afghanistan

Part One: The Saur Revolution
2. Lives of the Party
3. The Armature of Khalqi Power
Coda: The Death of a President
Part Two: The Pech Uprising
4. A Son of Safi
5. Anatomy of a Tribal Uprising
Coda: The Death of a Safi Daughter
Part Three: The Islamic Jihad
6. The Muslim Youth
7. Fault Lines in the Afghan Jihad
Coda: The Death of Majrooh

Epilogue: Topakan and Taliban
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index

About the author

David B. Edwards is Professor of Anthropology at Williams College. He is the author of Heroes of the Age: Moral Fault Lines on the Afghan Frontier (California, 1996).

Summary

David B. Edwards traces the lives of three Afghan leaders - Nur Muhammad Taraki, Samiullah Safi and Qazi Amin Waqad - to explain how the promise of progress and prosperity that animated Afghanistan in the 1960s crumbled and became the present tragedy of discord, destruction and despair.

Product details

• Authors: David B Edwards, David B. Edwards, Helen Edwards, Edwards David B.
• Publisher: University Of California Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 02.04.2002
• EAN: 9780520228610
• ISBN: 978-0-520-22861-0
• No. of pages: 376
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Geosciences > Geography; Social sciences, law, business > Social sciences (general); Afghanistan, Postwar 20th century history, from c 1945 to c 2000, Biography: general, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Regional Studies, Anthropology, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Asian, HISTORY / Asia / Central Asia, Political leaders & leadership, Regional Studies, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, Regional / International studies, Asian History, Biography: philosophy and social sciences, Political leaders and leadership, c 1945 to c 2000 (Post-war period)