Beyond the ‘Wild Tribes’: Understanding Modern Afghanistan and Its Diaspora

Afghanistan and its people, whether in Afghanistan or in its global diaspora, have generated substantial interest in recent years and the desire to understand more about the country is widely felt. International organisations, non-governmental organisations and journalists are key sources of information on contemporary Afghanistan, but their ability to undertake research is often limited by their mandate and the aims of their activities in Afghanistan. In-depth academic research on post-2001 Afghanistan does exist but these studies have often taken place in isolation. This volume, edited by Ceri Oeppen and Angela Schlenkhoff, brings together the work of some of the leading European specialists studying Afghanistan and its diaspora. It collates work that contributes to our understanding of modern Afghanistan, and moves beyond the caricatures of Afghanistan and Afghans that have their roots in European imperial texts of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries but can still be seen today. Beyond the ‘Wild Tribes’ contains chapters on a wide range of issues, which all contribute to our understandings of modern Afghanistan. Topics range from the features of protracted conflict to the future of Afghan music.