The rights and role of women in society has long been a thorny issue in Afghanistan, well before the Taliban regime that brought international interest to the subject. It’s useful to understand the history of the issue as a driver of conflict to also understand what is happening today. While the issue of women’s rights might seem … Continue reading Women are the Price of Peace in Afghanistan
An Interview with Ele Pawelski
Ele Pawelski is a lawyer, former humanitarian worker and the author of The Finest Supermarket in Kabul, published in 2017 by Quattro Books. Many of the works written recently that are set in Afghanistan have been by soldiers who served there, and so I was interested in talking to someone whose experience in the country was … Continue reading An Interview with Ele Pawelski
Review: The Caravan
There has been a lot written in the last twenty years about “global jihad,” although finding good analysis rather than rhetoric can be hard. Thomas Hegghammer does a great service with his latest book, The Caravan, which sheds light on a previously dim corner of the subject. Part of the issue with the general Western … Continue reading Review: The Caravan
Habibullah Kalakani – The Bandit King
Habibullah Kalakani is a character from Afghan history whose life reads like an adventure film. Spanning the roles of bandit, soldier, rebel and finally king, his impact on Afghan history is undeniable, even though he is sometimes dismissed as a side note or aberration. Born in the 1890s in a rural Tajik village north of … Continue reading Habibullah Kalakani – The Bandit King