WERKSTATT | SAMMLUNG | KOMPOSITION

22-3-2011

The New Year brings a New AAN Report: 'Doing Pashto'

AAN's latest report by Lutz Rzehak provides an overview of the way of life of the Pashtuns, often called Pashtunwali. It is a term that features prominently when international civilian and military actors try to find ways to engage the population in the southern half of Afghanistan. There has however been no comprehensive account of Pashtunwali in English the literature for some time - a void that this report attempts to fill.

In present-day Afghanistan the way of life of the Pashtuns is often viewed through the prism of the idiosyncratic interpretation of Islam presented by the Taleban. But this obscures the cultural values and rules of behaviour that existed long before the rise of the Taleban and that remain influential today. Pashtunwali should rather be interpreted as an ethnic self-portrait. Like many other concepts which are aimed at shaping ethnic identity, Pashtunwali describes an i deal.

The paper not only presents a current overview of Pashtunwali as an ideal, but also touches on its transformation. Afghanistan has been subject to fundamental change in almost every respect, during three decades of war. The ideals of Pashtunwali now compete with other value systems, which have gained influence over the years. The continued role of Pashtunwali in Afghanistan requires further in-depth research. But it seems clear that the formal and organisational aspects of Pashtunwali (the principles of decision making, the role of elders, the art of warfare, the inner coherence of tribal units) have been more deeply affected than the system of values.

The full report can be downloaded here read more »

AAN Blogs

Don't forget to check out the AAN blogs. We have been writing about the drawn-out election of the Parliament's speaker, the string of violent Taleban attacks, the destruction of the Bamian buddhas, Gul Agha's future, the absurdity of every-day corruption, detention in Bagram, civilian casualties, talking about the Taleban, modernisation stress, and the Kabul museum - among other things. All blogs can be found here: read more »

With best regards

The Afghanistan Analysts Network