article
Learning from the Swat Pathans: political leadership in Afghanistan, 1978-1997
American ethnologist • 25 (4) • Published In 1998 • Pages: 712-728
By: Edwards, David B..
Abstract
The conflict in Afghanistan, both internal (between factional elements of the society), and external (with the Soviet Union), '…has generated considerable attention from journalists, policy analysts, and political scientists, but the literature on the conflict includes few references to the work of Fredrik Barth on political leadership among the Swat Pakhtuns of neighboring Pakistan' (p. 712). In this work Edwards examines Barth's concept of 'methodological individualism' and compares his approach with alternative approaches advanced by three of his principal critics: Talal Asad, Akbar S. Ahmed, and Michael Meeker. In addition to the above discussion this study also describes the political relations in Afghanistan from 1978, when the Marxist Khala party took power, through 1979 when the Soviet Union took control of the government in Kabul, to the assumption of power by the Taliban in 1995.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2002
- Region
- Asia
- Sub Region
- Central Asia
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; 2001
- Field Date
- 1982-1984
- Coverage Date
- 1978-1997
- Coverage Place
- Afghanistan
- Notes
- David B. Edwards
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 727-728)
- LCCN
- 74644326
- LCSH
- Pushtuns