The Emergence of Modern Afghanistan: Politics of Reform and Modernization 1880-1946

About this book

Long heralded as a seminal work on the history of Afghanistan this book traces the evolution of the modern Afghan state by studying the politics of reform and modernization that started in 1880 through World War II. In this reissue Vartan Gregorian offers a new introduction that places the key themes of the book in the context of contemporary events addressing questions of tribalism nationalism Islam and modernization as well as the legacies of the Cold War and the various exit strategies of occupying powers. The book remains as distinctive today as when it was first published. It is the only broad work on Afghan history that considers ethnicity as the defining influence over the course of the countrys history rather than religion. In light of todays ongoing struggle to develop a coherent national identity the question of Afghan nationalism remains a particularly significant issue.