Follow the Afghan War: Methods, Interpretations, Imagination

E-ISSN： 1746-0727|7|1|38-50

ISSN： 1746-0719

Source： Anthropology of the Middle East, Vol.7, Iss.1, 2012-03, pp. : 38-50

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Abstract

Anthropological research in war-torn countries like Afghanistan is dangerous and therefore often impossible. There are various constraints, both general and specific, that often hinder an anthropologist from going out into the field. This is not a new problem for social anthropology, but it is increasingly preoccupying the discipline. Thus, a 'distance approach' needs to be developed for studying the ethnography of the Afghan war. This article proposes one methodological possibility for approaching the Afghan war from other perspectives. This method involves extensive reading in and analysis of various written works and the critical examination of web sites and other media, in combination with fieldwork in Europe and Central Asia. In order to demonstrate this approach, the discourse on women's rights will be discussed.