This book serves as a comprehensive introduction to Afghanistan, a state which has a troubled past and an equally turbulent present. Bernt Glatzer traces the formation of the state through to the present day. He analyses the politics of ethnicity in a country polarized by folk religions and their opposition to the dominant religion of Islam. These form the essential backdrop to a discussion concerning the economic volatility of the state and its domestic affairs and the implications of these to international relations. The book closes with the question: will Afghanistan survive? This title forms part of the Contemporary Middle East series. Previous titles include Jordan a Hashemite Legacy by Peter Hinchcliffe and Beverley Milton-Edwards, and Syria Revolution from Above by Raymond Hinnebusch. Forthcoming titles include Israel by Emma Murphy and Iraq by Toby Dodge.

Author Biography

Afghanistan Research Group, Germany