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The sexual exploitation of adolescents has recently gained international attention and is a major problem in many countries. Afghanistan, a South Asian nation, is one of these countries with a startlingly high rate of sexual exploitation incidents; among these, the practice known as Bacha Bazi has attracted criticism from all sides. In The Kite Runner, Hosseini exposes the terrible Afghan culture of Bacha Bazi, which damages the social and sexual identities of many Afghan boys and has a negative impact on their mental well-being as a result of traumatic events that cause them to exhibit PTSD symptoms. This paper explores the issue of child sexual exploitation in general, as well as the arrival of Bacha Bazi in Afghanistan and its effects on children's mental health in particular, as depicted in The Kite Runner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades researches have been conducted on different disciplines and in teaching English for specific purposes in different contexts, but teaching technical words for doctors in the context of Afghanistan is the newest subject. The aim of this article is to explore the needs of doctors and prepare them a course to learn English. In Afghanistan, English is used as a foreign language and it is not the medium of instruction in the class because the national languages play the key role in instruction. It is really important for the doctors to learn English in order to learn new information and should be aware about progress, especially in medical. At the same time, most of the names of drugs have been written based on English and it is necessary for them to know English in their own discipline. This paper is written based on quantitative research and Questionnaire was the tool for data collection and it was sent to doctors who were in Afghanistan, particularly. In this research, there were 50 participants and out of them 25 subjects were female. In learning English language for doctors, they wanted to memorize technical words that are very important in their daily works. They wanted to improve four skills of English language as well because they need to communicate with their colleagues. This paper ends with significance of technical words for doctors in the context of Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine numerous sustaining factors in the restabilisation of Afghanistan, from legal, logistical and technical perspectives. The significance of logistics and infrastructure for state reconstruction and stability has been recognised by military and engineering practices. However, previous research on Afghanistan has focused on specific areas such as geopolitics, regional studies, bilateral cooperation and international aid. In contrast, this paper examines specialised issues within logistics and infrastructure, i.e., transit rights, access to ports, investors' codes of conduct and the modus operandi of military and engineering engaged in the construction, operation and protection of infrastructure, which have not yet been fully discussed in the previous research. Furthermore, the importance of logistics of multiple shipping routes will be examined through comparative analysis. Considering a prolonged restabilisation process in land-locked Afghanistan, rights of transit and port access are imperative to achieve safe logistics in energy, water, food and medical supplies. In conclusion, an integrated, comprehensive model agreement for multilateral cooperation would enable international aid to be funnelled via a single scheme. Thus, this paper concludes that the long-term stability and development of Afghanistan will be guaranteed through a comprehensive framework agreement for logistics, which materialises rights of transit and port access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Limited evidence exists on bacha bazi, Afghanistan's steadily revived practice involving transgenerational same-sex relationships, despite its frequent association with violence towards young males, known as bacha bereesh. This paper aims to fill this critical gap. Design/methodology/approach: The author conducted an integrative literature review using qualitative and quantitative secondary data. An ecological framework for violence was applied to the findings. Findings: The findings offer a comprehensive overview of bacha bazi in its modern form, including the unique health needs, sexual practices, and gender identities and orientations of bacha bereesh. The author reveals how Afghan masculine identities and male-male sexual activity occur in relation to power structures and notions of honor. Numerous risk factors increasing bacha bereesh vulnerability for violence and socio-legal barriers constraining access to crucial services are also discussed. Research limitations/implications: Afghanistan's shame-based culture limits accurate data collection by obscuring the practice and stigmatizing bacha bereesh who serve in feminized roles. Practical implications: The research highlights the inadequacies of applying Western gender-binary frameworks to bacha bazi. It contributes to our understanding of sexuality, gender, masculinity, and male-directed sexual violence within Afghan culture. These insights will help us better address the health needs of this underserved population. Originality/value: The lack of evidence addressing these topics highlights our paper's originality, while the literature firmly linking violence to poor physical and psychological health outcomes emphasizes the importance of its contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the US exit from Afghanistan, the debate revolves around why US intervention in Afghanistan, the longest and one of the most expensive in its history, has failed in defeating the Taliban and realising a durable state-building. The debate considers endogenous factors that explore US and Taliban strategies and exogenous factors that underline the role of regional and extra-regional actors in determining the outcome of the Afghan conflict. This paper, therefore, focuses on faults and inconsistencies within and across US strategies in Afghanistan, i.e., the use of military force, political settlement, and state-building. It also examines US strategies vis-à-vis conflict in Afghanistan under four US administrations -- from Bush to Biden -- to ascertain why these strategies proved ineffective. These strategies have been analysed by following the conceptual framework of Game Theory. The paper argues that US strategies for entering Afghanistan were detached from the ground realities, which was the critical factor for its failure to achieve the desired outcome of the conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the utility of critical realism as an ontological foundation for the analysis of education policy in emergencies. By exploring the synergy between critical realism and a method to analyse policy known as Critical Policy Analysis, the paper argues for the use of conceptual analytical tools when examining education policy in conflict-affected contexts. It illustrates the value of theory-informed analysis by reflecting on a recent study of Afghanistan's higher education strategic planning, and advocates for critical engagement with broader cultural, political, and economic factors in the analysis of education policies during conflicts and crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a liberal government in post-Taliban Afghanistan allowed India to fulfil its foreign policy goal, i.e., investment in Afghanistan to acquire leverage for its anti-Pakistan agenda. However, the twenty-year war ended with the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, resulting in the Taliban's rise to power, diminishing Indian influence and reversion of its interests. India halted its investment and diplomatic engagement with the Taliban government due to its previous position, which led India to compromise on its strategic interests outlined in the presence of US forces. To safeguard its strategic interests, India has resumed its diplomatic and economic engagement with the Taliban government at a critical time when other regional states are analysing the US' future course of action towards the war-torn country. Therefore, this paper examines how India evaluates the newly structured regional environment while finding a new role in Afghanistan. It also analyses the implications of India-Afghanistan re-engagement for Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Working as a nurse in a war zone entails providing a unique form of care, and it is important to be well prepared before and during an international assignment. To improve organized preparations it is necessary to understand how nurses previously engaged in a military mission experienced their preparations. Objective The aim of this study is to describe military nurses' experiences of preparations for a mission, including factors that contribute to their being meaningful. Methodology The data comprises eight interviews with Swedish military nurses who served in Afghanistan. The results are analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. Meaning units are condensed into codes which, via subcategories, form categories. The categories are abstracted into an overall theme. Results The results highlight the importance of recognizing challenges and making informed choices. The overall theme shows that adequate preparation promotes an accepting attitude. Conclusions It is concluded that organized preparation for care in a combat environment should stimulate realistic reflection without entrapping one in negative thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide insight in how military expeditionary task forces cope with the dual challenge of organizing and learning, by reflecting on the experiences of Dutch expeditionary task forces in post-conflict missions in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reflects on the outcomes of a research project into the experiences of operators of different specific expeditionary task forces of the Dutch Armed Forces in dealing with everyday problems in their working environment. The case studies were based on interviews with military personnel of all ranks and focused on relating the process of making sense of environmental dynamics to characteristics of the organizational context. Findings: The case studies indicate that designing and learning become intertwined in the realities of everyday problem-solving in the more complex missions. As task forces are essentially tailor-made for the purpose of specific missions, units initially need to be selected. Subsequently, the design of the task force needs to be adapted to suit local conditions. This challenge interrelates with the everyday challenge for operators of making sense of their environment and finding pragmatic solutions for the everyday problems they are confronted with. In pragmatically solving everyday problems, operators in the cases engaged in working out incomplete or ill-fitting aspects of the task force design. Practical implications: The findings are relevant for military task forces and in general for organizations that are confronted with dynamically complex environments that rely on temporary structures. Originality/value: Existing literature on learning and on organizing generally treat these as two related, but essentially separate, phenomena. In the expeditionary military task forces, operators that aimed to develop pragmatic solutions to everyday problems, the processes of learning and organizing became intertwined: units needed to organize to learn and to learn to organize. The paper ends by suggesting a combination of specific circumstances that influences the nature of the interrelation between these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women face multiple socio-economic, cultural, contextual, and perceived barriers in health service utilization. Moreover, poor autonomy and financial constraints act as crucial factors to their healthcare accessibility. Therefore, the objective of the present study is to study the association between health care utilization barriers and women empowerment, including asset ownership among currently married women in Afghanistan. Data of 28,661 currently married women from Afghanistan demographic health survey (2015) was used to carry out this study. Barriers to access healthcare were computed based on problems related to permission, money, distance, and companionship, whereas women empowerment and asset ownership were computed as potential covariates along with other socio-economic risk factors. Bivariate and logistic analysis was carried out to study the association and odds of explanatory variables. Our results confirm the significant and strong association between the barriers to access healthcare and various explanatory variables. Women having any decision-making autonomy are less likely to face any odds [(AOR = 0.56, p < 0.001), CI: 0.51–0.61] among the currently married women than those who don't have any decision-making authority. Similarly, women who justify their beating for some specific reasons face the greater difficulty of accessing health care [(AOR = 1.76, p < 0.001), CI: 1.61–1.93]. In terms of asset ownership, women having any asset ownership (land or household) are less likely to face any barriers in health services utilization given the lower odds [(AOR = 0.91, p < 0.001), CI: 0.90–0.98]. Accessing maternal health is a crucial policy challenge in Afghanistan. A substantial proportion of women face barriers related to approval, money, distance, and companionship while accessing the health services utilization in Afghanistan. Similarly, women empowerment and asset ownership are significantly associated with health service accessibility. This paper therefore suggests for some policy interventions to strengthen the healthcare needs of women and ensure healthcare accessibility by scaling down these potential barriers like poor autonomy, asset ownership and domestic violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even in intense combat scenarios, a significant proportion of a soldier's time is spent passing the time. Tim Hetherington was acutely aware of this contradiction; of the 240 pages of Infidel, his account of the time he spent in Combat Outpost Restrepo in the remote Afghan Korengal valley, only about one sixth show soldiers actually in combat. The remaining pages depict soldiers maintaining their base, passing the time playing cards, wrestling each other, and sleeping. This focus on the lacunary moments between skirmishes and contacts marks out the work as attuned to a more complex understanding of the nature of soldiering in front line situations. This paper situates Hetherington's work into a longer historical engagement with the depiction of soldiers 'killing time' between moments of combat, and in the context of how the homosocial nature of the proximity in which soldiers live and work contributes to their combat motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a conflict model to analyse Majority-Minority relations (M-M), this paper focuses on the Hazara community in Afghanistan. Assuming M-M relations are power relations, the struggle for control among divergent ethnic groups has persisted. The Hazaras have historically resided in several provinces and experienced various forms of targeted violence. Millions have fled to other countries to escape persecution. This research diverges from dominant approaches that focus only on ethnicity and religion as the causes of violence against the Hazaras. Instead, the paper examines other factors that have been largely neglected by conflict studies literature. Based on historical data, the study finds that the Hazaras' geostrategic location in Afghanistan, their alliances with Pashtun tribes, and their struggle for autonomy have been the primary factors contributing to the targeted violence against them. Therefore, while ethnicity and religion may have made the Hazaras vulnerable to violence, they are not the main causes of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terror encountered by women in Afghanistan because of the military withdrawal of United States and its allies in the summer of 2021 is ongoing. The first part of this paper describes emergency clinical interventions provided to two young university Kabul women wishing to escape the Taliban. The second part of this paper explores ideas about moral injury and this psychologist-psychoanalyst's motives for focusing on the survival of the two women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we review how refugee children's psychological development is impacted by experiencing war, displacement, and trauma. As the Syrian conflict has resulted in the largest refugee crisis in modern history, we focus on Syrian refugees, but comparisons to other current major conflicts (Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Yemen) are done for reference, making this review relevant, not only for the Syrian conflict but war-affected children in general. The potentially traumatic events (PTEs) experienced by families and children vary depending on current and past migration experiences. During the premigration phase, there is a high risk of war-related PTEs whereas lack of shelter, high insecurity, and exploitation are common during the perimigration phase. Common PTEs during postmigration include uncertain legal status, changed family dynamics, downward mobility, and lack of social support. A high number of PTEs, low mental health, and permanent postmigration stress are evident across conflicts. In addition to these PTEs that impact all family members, there are additional long-lasting child-specific interpersonal PTEs related to parental practices and lack of support. These cumulative stressors are associated with poor mental health and developmental delays in several domains including cognitive functioning, emotion regulation, affective processing, and prospective control. At the same time, some studies demonstrate a high degree of resilience, and normative development, or report a lack of association between the psychological development of children and levels of PTEs. The number of studies assessing child development in this context is limited and more research is required in order to fill knowledge-gaps related to the mechanisms, and causal relations, behind these developmental outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the added-value that multisystem approaches bring to research and intervention in contexts of war and forced displacement. I highlight what is useful and truly innovative about systems-level work, aware that providing data-related evidence is only part of the story when connecting research to policy and practice. I discuss four types of added-value: these are conceptual, instrumental, capacity-building, and connectivity impacts that, respectively, aim to change current knowledge, improve implementation, build research skills, and strengthen network connectivity. Specifically, systems-based research can help transform the key frames of humanitarian work, fostering the more integrated and distributive models of professional assistance known as resilience and network humanitarianism. I argue that systems-level approaches on resilience and flourishing in war-affected and refugee populations help to articulate new mindsets, methodologies, partnerships, and ways of working relevant for humanitarian research, policy and practice. I focus attention on interdisciplinary, interventionist, prospective, transgenerational, and network-building initiatives. My specific examples cover the family context of mental health and trauma memory in Afghanistan, as well as program evaluation with Syrian refugees in Jordan, connecting stress biology to human experience, and social networks to psychological empowerment. The paper suggests future directions to support more effective and impactful systems-level work in protracted humanitarian crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Afghanistan is grappling with a severe health crisis marked by a high prevalence of infectious diseases, particularly tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, and the added strain of the COVID‐19 pandemic. The nation's healthcare system, already fragile, faces formidable challenges. Socioeconomic constraints, including limited resources and financial barriers, hinder healthcare accessibility, leading to delayed or inadequate care. Environmental factors, such as poor sanitation and crowded living conditions, exacerbate the transmission of diseases, especially waterborne illnesses. Governance issues, encompassing transparency, corruption, and political instability, disrupt healthcare efficiency and resource allocation. Addressing these multifaceted issues is vital to enhance Afghanistan's healthcare system and overall well‐being. The withdrawal of international support has exacerbated these challenges. The primary research goal is to deeply understand Afghanistan's health system, focusing on the major disease burdens: Tuberculosis, Malaria, AIDS, COVID‐19, Measles, Hepatitis, and Cholera. The study aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of current approaches, presenting a comprehensive view of challenges and opportunities within the Afghan healthcare system. The research concludes by highlighting policy implications, practical implementation, and offering recommendations for future endeavors. Methodology: This paper provides a thorough analysis of the literature concerning infectious diseases in Afghanistan and the enhancement of the healthcare system in the nation. A systematic exploration of the literature was conducted through PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The search terms used encompassed "Tuberculosis" OR "TB," "Malaria," "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome" OR "AIDS," "Human immunodeficiency virus" OR "HIV," "COVID‐19," "Measles," "Hepatitis virus," "Cholera," "Health system improvement," and "Afghanistan." Additionally, external sources like UNICEF, CDC, and WHO were referenced. Results: In conclusion, while improving access to vital medicines and vaccines is crucial for enhancing health outcomes in Afghanistan, significant challenges must be addressed to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of such strategies. The Afghan health system's fragile governance, corruption, logistical complexities, and failure to address broader social and economic factors pose significant risks and obstacles to the implementation of proposed health strategies. Therefore, the strategies discussed in this analysis align with key Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3, and their successful implementation will have implications not only for the health and well‐being of Afghanistan but also for global health. Conclusion: Hence, by adopting a comprehensive approach with complementary interventions as discussed, we can address issues in the Afghan health system and reduce transmissible diseases' burden, thereby building a better world for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan; the US-influenced government of Ashraf Ghani has surrendered, a two-decade-long war ended, and the Taliban proclaimed their acting government on 7 September 2021 and resumed the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan. Pakistan is in support of an inclusive Taliban-led government in Afghanistan and providing Aid to the country for rebuilding and reconstruction of the affected neighbor while hoping for recognition from the international community. Taliban's regime in Afghanistan is a game-changer for South Asian regional politics as now China, Russia, and Iran's interests lie in this area. The Study is an attempt to examine the effects of the Taliban's government on Pakistan's national security, integrity, and economy with special concern for China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and Foreign Relations by taking the Baluchistan insurgency as an example. This research will answer intriguing questions such as how the Taliban's government of Afghanistan affects the Baluch insurgency. The purpose of this research is to determine if the Taliban-led Afghan government deepens Pakistan's woes or serves the country's national interests. This paper argues that Baluch insurgents were previously hiding in Afghanistan and unstable Afghan territory was used against Pakistan by the enemies to exacerbate of Baluch insurgency and escalate terrorism to destabilize Pakistan. This study also argues that the New Taliban Government in Afghanistan has an amalgamation of encouraging and detrimental outcomes for Pakistan as supporting the Afghan Taliban government has visible impacts on regional politics and the dynamics of Pakistan's relations with the United States, Iran, and with regional powers, Russia, and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health, conflict/war, Social Determinants of Health (SDHs) and Global Health Diplomacy (GHD) are believed to be strongly interwoven. Afghanistan that is known as the 'Graveyard of the Empire' has been passing through a very critical phase given the prolonged civil war during the last couple of decades, wherein the ongoing current situation further pushed the country towards the collapse of the political and economic systems. Thereby, Afghanistan's healthcare system has been entrapped into the civil war conundrum causing the SDHs to be seriously affected. Conflict in any form, i.e. local, regional, or international, has left black swan impacts on not only the SDHs but also led to health crises given the inaccessibility, unaffordability, and more of lack of the infrastructure, and exodus of trained medical staff and healthcare inequity. In this situation, it is anticipated that GHD could play a significant role in providing equitable healthcare to people at stake. Against this backdrop, the focus of this paper is; how the SDHs have been impacted by the civil conflict and how the public healthcare has been turned into a conundrum; would the GHD resolve the healthcare crisis in the prevailing scenario? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Debates on the ethics of disaster and humanitarian studies concern unequal relations in research (among research institutes/researchers/stakeholders); the physical and psychological well-being of research participants and researchers; and the imposition of western methods, frameworks and epistemologies to the study of disasters. This paper focuses on everyday ethics: how they need to be translated throughout the everyday practices of research and how researchers can deal with the ethical dilemmas that inevitably occur. Design/methodology/approach: This paper analyses the process of addressing ethics-related dilemmas from the first author's experiences researching disaster governance in high-intensity conflict settings, in particular drawing from 4 to 6 months of fieldwork in South Sudan and Afghanistan. In addition, ethical issues around remote research are discussed, drawing on the example of research conducted in Yemen. It is based on the personal notes taken by the first author and on the experience of both authors translating guidelines for research in remote and hazardous areas into research practices. Findings: The paper concerns translating ethics into the everyday practices of research planning, implementation and communication. It argues for the importance of adaptive research processes with space for continuous reflection in order to advance disaster studies based on (1) equitable collaboration; (2) participatory methodologies wherever possible; (3) safety and security for all involved; (4) ethical approaches of remote research and (5) responsible and inclusive research communication and research-uptake. Openness about gaps and limitations of ethical standards, discussions with peers about dilemmas and reporting on these in research outcomes should be embedded in everyday ethics. Originality/value: The paper contributes to discussions on everyday ethics, where ethics are integral to the epistemologies and everyday practices of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature of fiscal federalism suggests two approaches to explaining the allocation of intergovernmental transfers. First, a normative approach that considers governments as benevolent social planners pursuing normative criteria of efficiency and equity; and second, a public choice approach assuming governments as self-maximizing actors who use intergovernmental transfers to purchase political capital, enhancing their chances of re-election. This paper seeks to test the hypotheses of these two approaches to explain the allocation of discretionary development budget among Afghan provinces during three fiscal years of 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–19. Findings indicate Afghanistan's central government's approach does not focus to achieve normative criteria of improved participation, predictability, transparency, and equity. Instead, Its central government considers certain political criteria such as political affiliation – ethnic affiliation and alignment with central government policies – political importance, and strength and weakness of local actors. This paper relies on both quantitative and qualitative data to support its arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan is a direct consequence of structural changes in the polarity of the international system. Following the end of the Cold War, the US emerged as the dominant country in the system, making it relatively easy to pursue a foreign policy based on liberal principles, where state-building and social engineering were among the main principles. While some scholars consider the US withdrawal from Afghanistan a strategic failure of its foreign policy, this paper argues that such action was necessary due to fundamental changes in the constellation of forces in the international system. The main reason for this withdrawal is the economic growth of China and its power projection in Asia and other regions of the world. Therefore, similar US actions can be anticipated in the future. This paper adopts a structural realist approach as its primary theoretical framework and Afghanistan is used as the case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable focus on the widespread destruction of cultural heritage in Afghanistan since the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas by the Taliban in 2001 and much concern over the future for heritage in the region on the return of a Taliban regime in 2021, yet comparatively little has been written on the fate of Afghanistan's national collection of paintings, manuscripts, and works on paper. Through a quasi-experimental study and using a combination of evaluation methodologies, this paper discusses whether the overall impact achieved in conservation capacity-building and training schemes in conflict zones justify the cost and risk of operating in such regions. Using an international collaborative conservation training course carried out in 2020 at the Afghan National Gallery in Kabul as a case study, it discusses the appropriateness and effectiveness of the signature pedagogies in conservation when working in a conflict scenario, and highlights the limitations present in conservation training programmes in post-conflict scenarios and the need for sustainability of such programmes. The results of the study found that common constructivist-focused, Eurocentric conservation pedagogies may not be effective for training museum professionals in regions where this approach is unfamiliar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afghanistan represents one of the most complex mosaics of ethnic groups in the world and its contemporary history has been characterised by ethnic hierarchy. Pashtuns domination of the country and their discriminatory policies toward non-Pashtuns have had long-term effects in destroying inter-ethnic trust. The hierarchical relationships among ethnic groups have always been an obstacle to creating ethnic harmony even in the pre-war Afghanistan. The paper, by adopting 'ethnic security dilemma theory,' seeks to analyse how and why ethnicity in Afghanistan was politicised and morphed into fault line that finally surfaced in the form of civil war in 1990s. It will discuss the impacts of internecine war on inter-ethnic relations and explores the possible options to deal with the longstanding ethnic security dilemma. Being caught in an ethnic trap, the paper argues, only a meaningful powersharing mechanism can glue the future Afghanistan together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the part played by Sir Henry Dobbs, the 'man on the spot', in shaping the 1921 Anglo-Afghan Treaty. The treaty provisions being negotiated were important to the security of the Indian frontier, internally and internationally, as they defined the formal relationship between India and Afghanistan right through until Indian independence. In contrast with existing accounts, the analysis presented here contends that Dobbs did have a significant influence both on the negotiating process and on the eventual result. It demonstrates how in his role as chief negotiator Dobbs drew on experience and techniques that he had earlier acquired as a political officer in frontier areas. His aim seems to have been to influence matters so that the treaty would deliver on what he regarded as important while giving away nothing that he thought damaging. The article thus sheds light on how—in a novel and volatile context—Dobbs handled differing views in London and Delhi, and negotiated with the Amir. Given the necessary authority by the British Government, he finally arrived at an agreement accepted by the various parties—Afghans, the Viceroy and the British Government in London. The source for this revised perspective on the negotiations and fuller understanding of his role are Dobbs' recently-discovered letters and private papers, previously unavailable to historians, together with a re-examination of official sources prompted by this new material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim/Purpose The integration of knowledge through the transdisciplinary method with the three concepts civilization, ideology, and geopolitics (CIG) enables the analysis of international relations in a new perspective and the informing strategists of countries, organizations, analysts, clients, etc. These three concepts express the transdisciplinarity that offers a new theoretical explanation and the informing science approach. Background The integration of knowledge using the three concepts for the analysis of international relations has found adequate explanations from 1890 until the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan. Therefore, the CIG model theoretically and practically finds support for more than a century, as argued in the paper. Methodology The present paper uses a mixed theory based on transdisciplinary methodology and informing science. The literature was reviewed to find and build the theoretical basis and provide appropriate examples. The theory is also based on the model used by Francis Fukuyama in his books on building and dissolution of states (middle-range theory). Contribution This paper enables the rethinking of the limitations of research on a theoretical and practical basis that is done in many scientific circles, not to eliminate others but to enrich science even more. Findings In the paper, the main findings are the following: Integrating the three CIG concepts according to the transdisciplinary method offers a new perspective to explain international relations using the IS method; The integration of the three concepts is worthwhile after 1980, when the model of cabinet governments falls, Bismarck falls, and public opinion starts to emerge; It was after 1980 that theories of civilization and geopolitics began to emerge along with ideologies to apply in practice; These three concepts offer explanations based on a CIG zone and in the periphery of the CIG zone. In the CIG zone the security sphere is more stable and long-term, while in periphery the cooperation is temporary and not long termed; The paper shows that the Cold War period is divided into two periods; The paper also finds that CIG explains with examples the events that happened after the Cold War and until present days; The paper also shows, based on the strategies of the superpowers, how they are extending their influence based on the CIG concepts. The paper also shows new patterns of cooperation and clashes between the superpowers' security zones, which also provide an explanatory perspective for the USA withdrawal from Afghanistan. (We do not talk in the paper about the Afghanistan issue and USA withdrawal). Recommendations for Practitioners The attributes identified by the transdisciplinary implementation of the three concepts express the evolution and behaviour of major policies and, as such, constitute a scheme for practitioners to analyse international relations and build strategies on an integrative rather than an exclusionary basis. Recommendations for Researchers Scientific attributes in the integration of knowledge give researchers a more open and comprehensive perspective to make more accurate and practical analyses of international relations. According to this model, other theories are enriched that use the transdisciplinary method, IS, and the CIG as a model for the integration of knowledge. Impact on Society This type of model enables an accurate understanding of cooperation between companies, their representatives, and the creation of safer areas and plans. Through this model, society no longer belongs to the abstract but is part of the analysis. Future Research Researchers and practitioners of this CIG model can find answers such as "Why did the USA fail in Afghanistan and why was it successful in Kosovo?" as well as other questions about finding a solution for Iraq, cooperation with China, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought in Afghanistan has many impacts from the interaction between environmental and socio-economic factors in the agriculture and water supply sectors. The complex topography and climate change impacts cause high spatial and temporal variation in the precipitation pattern and pose several challenges in managing water resources. Therefore, this paper aimed to quantify the sustainability of water resources against the progression of drought. Observed monthly precipitation data monitored by 23 stations located across five river basins covering the entire country for the period 1970–2016 were used to demonstrate the potential impacts of drought on water resources sustainability. Based on severe drought estimation, the year 2000 and 2001 were identified as change points. Accordingly, datasets pertaining to before and after the change points were partitioned to analyze the long-term temporal shift of drought. The spatiotemporal variability of sustainability indicators was estimated using reliability resiliency and vulnerability concept. The results indicated a positive trend of precipitation in most of the river basins after the change points leading to an increase in sustainability. However, the major portion in the upstream of the Kabul River basin showed a decrease in sustainability of around 15% due to a reduction in precipitation. As the Kabul city has high population density, it needs immediate attention in effectively planning and managing available water resources. Furthermore, the comprehensive analyses reported in this paper discuss the possible implications of drought risk assessment and its impact on largely varying sustainability both spatially and temporally in Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brilliant effect of the Buddha not only strengthens Buddhist believers' psychological effects of worship, consecration, and showing off of merits, but also becomes an important dissemination method to attract the public to join in. Starting from the golden skin of ancient Buddha statues, this paper analyzes the relevant historical documents and unearthed objects of gilded Buddha statues in ancient India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China and pays attention to the body decoration and technology dissemination as well as the process and influence of Chinese localization. In traditional Buddhist culture, gold technology and its application have an important impact on artistic expression, appearance protection, and the psychology of Buddhist statues. In the Late Tang Dynasty, the government and Buddhism suffered conflicts between supply and demand due to gold resources. The forced stripping of gilded Buddha statues became a historical epitome reflecting the deep social and economic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Afghanistan experienced a marked rise in violent crimes, including kidnappings and armed robbery in 2021. The reported increase in targeted attacks against civilians in the country, specifically regarding women human rights defenders and media workers, had already raised concerns in the period preceding the Taliban takeover. These events and the changing nature of the killings--from widespread casualties to targeted violence--underscored the need for a nuanced examination of the different ways conflict and crime converge to create conditions that incentivise violent actors and instability. This paper looks at these issues through the lens of illicit market violence in Afghanistan. It explores its potential as a key proxy to project current and future trends of other illicit and criminal market development in the country. The paper suggests a framework for further research to examine the evolution of illicit markets in Afghanistan by using a methodologically sound proxy indicator of such violence. First, it draws on a literature review on violence related to illicit markets and presents the methodology developed by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) to research assassinations. Second, the paper undertakes a focused literature review on targeted violence in Afghanistan, focusing particularly on the 2020-2021 period. The variables taken from the GI-TOC methodology are applied to the literature review to map recent trends using targeted killings and other metrics of illicit market violence. It presents a preliminary analysis of how targeted violence could be used to inform the analysis of illicit economies and its shifts in Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an endeavour to study the formation of the national state of Afghanistan that brought a significant change in the traditional authority pattern of Afghans. It can be observed that, with the project of State-building, marginal ethnic and religious elements gradually gained a considerable position in national politics. Amir Abdur Rahman (r.1880-1901) is considered the founder of the modern State of Afghanistan. He attempted to establish an authoritative central government in Afghanistan- a land of powerful independent Pashtun tribes under their tribal chiefs. This paper explores how the Afghan monarchy reduced the autonomy of these influential tribal chiefs. What was the nature of their reforms and how much religion was given a space in the socio-political and constitutional reforms and how these reforms influenced various segments of Afghans. We shall also analyse the role of religion in the establishment of modern Afghanistan. It has often been argued that Afghan rulers utilize religion to minimize the authority of tribal chiefs. This act created a space for religious scholars which ultimately culminated in the emergence of religious elites in the national politics of Afghanistan. A meticulous effort has been made to investigate how the constitutional and educational reforms shaped the role of mullahs in national politics and the extent to which their role was variant from their traditional character in Afghan society. Moreover, it will be discussed how the legal reforms of Afghan rulers broaden the horizon of religious class in the judiciary and educational institutions. This paper also briefly examines the factors which remained a hindrance in the development of Afghan national identity and in the formation of the Afghan central government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This research paper analyzes the Biden administration, its policies regarding the Afghan war and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan after a two-decade war. In the Afghan war, which three administrations successfully ran since 2001, Biden's hectic withdrawal has left doubts regarding Biden presidency. This paper briefly examines the previous administrations of America in the light of political and international relations paradigms; thus, a comparative analysis is also built among the Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations. Biden strategy in Afghanistan is analyzed with the help of the Rational Choice theory. The rational strategy for the Afghan war is highlighted by providing answers to some critical questions, such as: What policies made Biden Administration differ from the previous administrations? What challenges had Biden faced while running a two-decade old war? The paper is precise enough to discuss the cost and benefits of the Afghan war post 9/11. Threats to U.S. security after this withdrawal is under discussion. A qualitative approach has been utilized to analyze the above questions based on secondary data, reports, books and journal articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos Europeos de Deusto is the property of Universidad de Deusto and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyzes the political discourse of the American President Joe Biden address to the Nation on Afghanistan, which received no attention from discourse analysts yet. The research investigates how Biden tries to convince the audience of his viewpoints and decisions regarding its America's war in Afghanistan based on the Aristotelian perspective of rhetoric and van Dijk's "Ideological Square". The critical analysis reveals that Biden positively represents himself, his government and country. On the other hand, he negatively represents the Afghan government, people and the country. The study suggests analyzing other addresses from various perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite record economic growth in the decade that followed the fall of the Taliban regime, poverty remained stubbornly high in Afghanistan, declining substantially only in regions that suffered more from conflict. This paper aims to explain this apparent puzzle by combining conflict-related indicators at the province level with household level observations. Estimates, which start in 2007 and stop in 2014 because of data availability constraints, show that large troop deployments reduced conflict intensity but also boosted local consumption, an effect reinforced by foreign aid flows being larger in conflict-affected areas. The robustness of these findings is assessed through an out-of-sample simulation of the impact of declining international troops and foreign aid after 2014. The simulation accurately predicts the sharp deterioration in living standards uncovered by a 2016 household survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers insights into the perception of Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal regarding the great powers. In every epoch, there are different great powers; in this paper, when the term great power is used, it means the US and the USSR. In addition, this article explains Maiwandwal's idea of non-alignment, perception of co-existence and world peace and, most importantly, progressive democracy. Progressive Democracy is a distinct social doctrine of Maiwandwal that reflects his worldview and perception regarding great powers. It starts with introducing Maiwandwal. Later, he explains his worldview and his perception regarding great powers and talks about his foreign policy towards the US and USSR. This article examines and concludes that Mohammad Hashim Maiwandwal's ideas and conceptions about the great powers and his foreign policy towards them forced him to resign, and ultimately, he was killed due to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the current situation in Afghanistan after the rapid withdrawal of US troops and the Taliban takeover of the country, and how this has shed new light on the financing of terrorism. Design/methodology/approach: Informal interviews were conducted with alleged perpetrators as well as formal interviews with compliance experts to further investigate the subject of terrorist financing in the wake of the latest changes in Afghanistan and terrorist financing through hawala banking. The interviewees were analysed through a qualitative analysis. Findings: Based on the interviews, it was concluded that both illegal and legal sources of income could be used by terrorist financiers. This study also shows why hawala represents a significant challenge for counter-terrorist financing policies. Originality/value: While existing literature sufficiently links parallel banking systems, such as hawala, to terrorist financing, this study shows the implications for Switzerland's perceived commitment against financial crime in light of current changes in Afghanistan, and in addition, certain dogmatic weaknesses of Article 260quinquies of the Swiss Penal Code are critically analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s several caches of New Persian documents have come to light in Afghanistan. These documents, written on paper, are now the most significant sources for understanding how New Persian in Arabic script was used as an administrative and legal language in the eastern Islamic lands between the eleventh and early thirteenth centuries before the Mongol conquest of Khurāsān. After a brief survey of the three main collections in which these New Persian paper documents are preserved today, this article presents a preliminary edition, translation and commentary on one of the New Persian documents held in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Islamic Art. The document, dated ah 608/1212 ce, is a record of court proceedings and the decision of a judge (qāḍī) in a lawsuit over water rights initiated by a woman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall of Afghanistan and the immediate geopolitical space in the region represented a unique instance of political will and alignment toward Afghanistan between the United States and the European Union. Combined with pressing concerns of increasing danger to an at-risk population of Afghanistan citizens who collaborated with the US-led coalition, immediate and broad-reaching action was needed to ensure not only the safety of these individuals left behind in Afghanistan but also those who were evacuated. This paper proposes joint US-EU collaborative efforts and revisions to pre-existing evacuation frameworks to facilitate further evacuations out of Afghanistan. The challenges that existed in spring 2022 in the immediate aftermath are described, and subsequent proposals on redress are provided as a case study for failures in preexisting frameworks. Further analysis of developments since spring 2022 demonstrate applicability and lack thereof because of the changed geopolitical space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the Symposium on the Afghanistan War. During and after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, emotions ran high. This special issue responds to public calls for further in-depth study of the Afghanistan War. We assembled an international array of interdisciplinary scholars who address reasons the mission became a misadventure. Additional papers focus on the consequences borne by the people who served and the institutions that fought America's longest war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Koh Safi Chromite Ore Deposit is located in Afghanistan's northern–northeastern end of the Kabul–Kandahar ophiolite zone. Sedimentary formations, delayed volcanic, and ultramafic rock groups, including peridotites and serpentinites, could all have been found in the Koh Safi area, where structural discontinuities with the two trends of northwest–southeast and east–west can be identified. High-grade serpentinite units have many chromite deposits, whereas peridotite has a lot of medium-grade deposits. This paper performs a ground magnetic data analysis based on structural analysis and 3-D susceptibility inversion. The boundaries of structural faults and anomalous bodies are likely delineated in a northwest-to-southeast orientation using a series of derivative maps, including Total Horizontal Derivative, Analytical Signal, and Theta Map. For inversion, many regularization norms that included the range of smooth, intermediate, and compact models were used to examine a particular susceptibility value that occurred in a model cell. The sparse and blocky norms [0,1,1,1] were suggested for our inversion in field data based on synthetic data to determine an appropriate norm. A 3-D inversion of ground magnetic data shows that the highly magnetic zone supposed to be the host rocks seems to be where chromite occurs in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how documentary cinema in war contexts can challenge gender representations. To do so, we adopt a feminist and postcolonial approach to analyze the work of Catalan non-fiction filmmaker Alba Sotorra in Kurdistan, Afghanistan and Catalonia. In her films, Sotorra positions herself close to a series of subjects absorbed by wars and armed conflicts that (re)define their identities while acting beyond gender stereotypes. In particular, the paper analyzes the modes of production and representational strategies of two of Sotorra's latest feature films, Game Over and Commander Arian, documentaries with which the filmmaker aims at overcoming the visual exploitation of alterity. After an introduction to Sotorra, and a brief revision of the theory of postcolonial feminist cinema, our argument unfolds in four parts. Firstly, we reflect on cinematic representations of women and men at war; secondly, we introduce our methodology, based on in-depth interviews with the director to support our film analysis; thirdly, we contrast our hypotheses by means of close-readings of the films; lastly, we reflect on how the filmmaker aligns herself with intersectional feminism by using empathy and solidarity towards her subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than four decades of war in Afghanistan has been both a main driver for poor mental health, and a barrier to the development of crucial mental health services. A study conducted by BMC Psychiatry in 2021, across eight regions in Afghanistan, found staggering levels of depressive and anxiety disorders among the general population. Almost one-half of those interviewed (47.12%) reported having high levels of distress in the last month, and almost 40% (39.44%) reported experiencing impairment to their lives due to poor mental health. Yet, despite the common experiences of much of the population, mental health is a hugely stigmatized topic of discussion in Afghanistan, due to a myriad of cultural, religious, socioeconomic and environmental factors. And now, under the de-facto Taliban government, mental health has been deprioritized in the face of a crumbling economy and acute levels of poverty, all but forgotten. This paper sought to review the impact and change to mental health services under the de-facto government, and to provide the reader with greater awareness into the current situation in Afghanistan and equip them with insight into how to respond to the mental health needs of Afghans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, trans inclusion in the military has become the focal point for much of trans activism in the US. Advocates seeking inclusion highlight how participation in the military is often a means of socioeconomic mobility and access to trans-friendly healthcare. Such advocacy hinges upon notions of "good citizenship," which buttresses US exceptionalism, and concretizes the US empire vis-à-vis militarism. In this paper, we examine a popular documentary, TransMilitary (2018), released in the context of the US–led War on Terror. This documentary serves as a cultural artifact that showcases the deployment of trans service members to Iraq and Afghanistan as a form of inclusion advocacy. Against the backdrop of US imperialism in Asia and Oceania, we extend Asian/American and Pacific Islander feminist analytics to bring into conversation a trans of color abolitionist praxis that centers demilitarization and abolition of the military. In conclusion, we formulate Asian and Pacific Islander trans feminist abolitionist critiques of US trans militarism. A trans abolitionist framework unsettles ideas of liberal inclusion and, instead, centers abolishment of the military for collective trans liberation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the walnut economy promotion in Kapisa province of Afghanistan for insuring opportunities such as full Employment, Local economic development, reducing immigration, increasing Quality of life, Peace and prosperity and Quality of Education as dependent variables as well as potential opportunity of walnut economy promotionas independent variable. The objectives are to find the socioeconomic impact of walnut gardening on people's life, increase income per capita and analyze the ways of exporting walnut production toward national and international markets. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies are combined to collect data from fields, local markets, libraries, websites and social media. The problems are different aspects of daily life such as: Unemployment, leaving education and immigration of young generation due to poverty, joining into war groups for salary, etc. At the end some recommendations are proposed as solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]