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Afghanistan, a nation rich in cultural traditions, has a history that goes back over 5,000 years.  Its position on vital trade routes and its location between competing empires has meant, for centuries, that different countries have tried to gain power and influence.  As with much of the region, the rise and fall of political power has been connected to the rise and fall of religions.

In more recent times, in 1989 Soviet troops who had come to support an unpopular national government withdrew, but competing Afghan groups tore the nation apart in their pursuit of power.  in 1996, the Taliban gained control of most of the country and imposed a strict Islamic government.  These conflicts and the resulting disunity have caused great instability and suffering for the Afghan people.

These selected resources (print and electronic) will help you learn more about Afghanistan and the challenges it faces.

Web Sites

Academic Info: Afghanistan Studies
A directory of Web resources related to Afghanistan.  Included are indexes, directories, digital libraries, news and media sources, and organizations.  There is a section on the Taliban, Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, and the status of women in Afghanistan. http://www.academicinfo.net/afghan.html

Afghan Country Study
Large, in depth document on Afghanistan with updates, and other good leads/links. http://www.gl.iit.edu/govdocs/afghanistan/

Afghan Law  The Library of Congress maintains this comprehensive site.  it is updated frequently. The links provide information beyond the government and law. You will also find links to culture, history, news and human rights.
http://www.loc.gov/law/guide/afghanistan.html

Afghan Network
This award-winning Canadian site gives information on Afghan geography, culture, religion, flags, cookery, and some examples of Dari poetry. http://www.afghan-network.net/

The Afghan Women’s Mission
This organization was “founded in response to the compelling need for adequate hospital facilities in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan.”  The Web site includes background information about the Afghan refugee crisis, an image gallery, and electronic postcards highlighting the plight of women in Afghanistan. http://afghanwomensmission.org/

Afghanistan
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas gathers WWW resources on Afghan news and current events, government and politics, history and archaeology, arts and culture, business and economics, the work of relief organizations in Afghanistan, and general information about the country. http://menic.utexas.edu/menic/countries/Afghanistan.html

Afghanistan Online
News, economy, culture, geography, politics, and sports are among the many topics.  Special features include a photo gallery and a collection of materials on The Plight of the Afghan Woman.
http://www.afghan-web.com/ 

Afghanpedia
Basic information about Afghanistan, including land, people, government, and history (to the end of the 1990s).  From Sabawoon Online, an Islamic news service.
http://www.sabawoon.com/afghanpedia/Afghanistan.shtm

All the World Maps
Provides access to national maps and maps pinpointing major cities for countries such as Afghanistan.
http://www.embassyworld.com/maps/maps.html

Analysis: who are the Taleban?
This December 2000 report, from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), covers the origins of the Islamic fundamentalist group that controls Afghanistan and allowed Osama bin Laden to stay as a guest in their country. 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_144000/144382.stm

CIA – The World Factbook – Afghanistan 
Geography, people, government, economy, communications, transportation, military and transnational issues.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/af.html

National Geographic
Articles and photos of Afghanistan. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/uimonen/index.html

Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan
Web site for  “an independent political/social organization of Afghan women fighting for human rights and for social justice in Afghanistan.”  Includes reports documenting some of the as testimony about women who have been tortured, jailed, or murdered for not complying withTaliban law. http://www.rawa.org/

U.S. Department of State.  Bureau of South Asian Affairs:  August 2005 Background Note:  Afghanistan
People, history, government, political conditions, economy, and foreign and U. S. relations.
http://www.state.gov/p/sa/ci/af/

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Books

Holy War, Inc.:  Inside the Secret World of Osama Bin Laden  by Peter L. Bergen, 2001.  HV6430.B55 B47 2001

The Taliban: Ascent to Power by M.J. Gohari, 2000.  DS371.2.G64 2000

Taliban:  Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia by Ahmed Rashid, 2000. DS371.2 R367 2000

Taliban Phenomenon: Afghanistan 1994-1997 : with an Afterword Covering Major Events Since 1997 by Kamal Martinuddi, 2000.  DS371.3.M39 2000

To Afghanistan and Back: a Graphic Travelogue by Ted Rall, 2002.  DS352.R25 2002

An Unexpected Light:  Travels in Afghanistan  by Jason Elliot, 2001.  DS352.E45 2001

Unholy Wars:  Afghanistan, America and International Terrorism  by John K. Cooley, 2000.  JZ1480.A57 A3 2000

Veiled Courage: inside the Afghan Women’s Resistance by Cheryl Benard, 2002.  HQ1236.5.A3 B45 2002

War at the Top of the World by Eric S. Margolis, 2000.  DS371.3 M37

War, Politics and Society in Afghanistan, 1978-1992 by Antonio Giustozzi, 2000.  DS371.2.G59 2000

West of Kabul, East of New York: an Afghan American Story by Tamin Ansary, 2002.  E184.A65A6 2002

The Women of Afghanistan under the Taliban by Rosemarie Skaine, 2001.  HQ1735.6.S239 2002

Zoya’s Story: an Afghan Woman’s Struggle for Freedom by Zoya, 2002.  HQ1755.6.Z69 2002

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Periodical and Newspaper Articles

The Hartford Public Library offers electronic access to articles through its iConn database service for patrons of Connecticut libraries. You will need your library card to log into the database.

Townsend, Mark, “Gunpowder, Treason and Plot: The Pioneering Men Who Mapped Afghanistan,” Geographical (December,  2001): 20+. (history)

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Videos

Afghanistan Revealed, 2001.  Video – Social Science / A

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