Thomas Jefferson Barfield Reihenfolge der Bücher

This work explores the historic struggles and evolving political authority in Afghanistan, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the Taliban's resurgence today. The author introduces the complex tapestry of tribal and ethnic groups, highlighting what unites them as Afghans despite their regional and cultural differences. Governing these diverse peoples was manageable when power rested with a small elite, but this order deteriorated in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as rulers mobilized rural militias to expel the British and Soviets. While armed insurgency successfully resisted foreign occupiers, it simultaneously weakened the Afghan government's authority, complicating governance over time. The narrative vividly illustrates how internal factions led to civil war, the rise of Taliban rule, and Afghanistan's global isolation. It also analyzes the rapid U.S. invasion post-September 11, which swiftly toppled the Taliban, misleading the U.S. into believing that establishing a viable state would be similarly straightforward. This examination is crucial for understanding how Afghanistan, long dominated by foreign powers, became a graveyard for empires and offers insights into what the U.S. must do to avoid a similar fate.

This work explores the historic struggles and evolving political authority in a volatile region, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the Taliban resurgence today. The author highlights the diverse tribal and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, illustrating what unites them as Afghans despite their regional, cultural, and political differences. He explains that governing these peoples was manageable when power resided in a small dynastic elite, but this fragile order collapsed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as rulers mobilized rural militias to expel the British and later the Soviets. While armed insurgency effectively resisted foreign occupiers, it simultaneously weakened the Afghan government's authority, complicating governance over time. The narrative details how armed factions led the country into civil war, resulting in Taliban rule and Afghanistan's global isolation. The author analyzes the swift American invasion post-September 11 that toppled the Taliban, cautioning that this quick victory misled the U.S. into believing a stable state could be easily established. This examination sheds light on how Afghanistan, long dominated by foreign powers, became known as the "graveyard of empires," and offers insights into what the U.S. must do to avoid a similar outcome.

Designed to become the standard reference guide to the discipline of social and cultural anthropology, this dictionary consists of substantial analytical articles focusing on key anthropological concepts, theories and methodologies. It draws on contributions from some 120 distinguished American and British anthropologists.