The Women of Afghanistan Under the Taliban (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Skaine's book is a good introduction for readers looking for a comprehensive book about women in Afghanistan. She begins by dispelling the notion that historically women in Afghanistan were passive and repressed. Before they were forbidden to work by the Taliban, women labored as teachers, government committee members, and doctors. RAWA was formed not during the reign of the Mujahideen or the Taliban but back in 1977 to fight for women's rights and then, later, to oppose the Russian invaders and eventually the Taliban. Skaine also includes a chapter with interviews of Afghan refugees gathered by RAWA that detail the radical changes life in Afghanistan underwent under the rule of the Taliban. Another chapter offers an analysis of groups and countries that are offering aid to Afghanistan. Skaine's book will appeal to readers curious about the conditions for women in Afghanistan prior to the overthrow of the Taliban. Kristine Huntley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"A balanced and informative portrayal of a horrific situation...information from a wide array of international, Afghan, and women's organizations...highly recommended." --Counterpoise

"Comprehensive...detail[s] the radical changes life in Afghanistan underwent under the rule of the Taliban...will appeal to readers curious about the conditions for women in Afghanistan prior to the overthrow of the Taliban. A perfect text for classes studying contemporary Afghanistan." --Booklist/RBB

"Readable and accessible...women's history, education, fashion and other social aspects are described in detail...women are clearly going to be the major healing and uniting force in Afghan society." --Far Eastern Economic Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: McFarland (November 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786410906
• ISBN-13: 978-0786410903
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #619,247 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The oppression of women in Afghanistan, May 21, 2002

By	Shirin Raza (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Skaine, Rosemarie. The Women of Afghanistan Under the Taliban, London: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2002. x + 148. One map. Index. HQ 1735.6.S39 2002

This book covers a topic of much relevance and attention in the contemporary world: human rights, in particular those of women in Afghanistan. It examines the social and economic conditions faced by Afghani women, and Skaine implements a question and answer structure in order to delineate this. Furthermore, it touches upon the dire necessity for employment reform for women. With current employment restrictions upon women, families are starving, and children are growing up uneducated with a lack of teachers.
The book is extremely useful in that it does not focus solely upon the Taliban as the source for gender inequalities in Afghanistan. Rather it notes the many political motives behind it, as well as cultural and social pressures. Moreover, it succeeds in showing that it is not Islam that renders the oppression of women as justifiable. Instead, it shows the many intertwining forces within Afghani culture and politics that are in fact to blame.
It is for this reason that this book deserves much attention. The American media too often portrays, or simplifies, the oppression of Afghani women into a phenomenon stemming from the Taliban and Islamic fundamentalism. The fact that the chauvinistic mindset pervades, and has existed within, Afghani society is often overlooked. This creates a dangerous situation in which, the elimination of the Taliban may cause the world to assume the issue of female oppression is automatically solved. In addition, Skaine's writing style and structure make the book a clear and easy read.

Shirin Raza

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Supporting our sisters in Afghanistan, October 29, 2002

By	Oceana - See all my reviews

In Afghanistan the atrocities being committed against women and children are the most horrifying I have heard. This book first tells about the lives of Afghanistan women before the Jehadi and Taliban took over, explains the difference between Muslim belief and Taliban belief, and dispels common myths associated with Muslim clothing. This book talks both about the politics of the situation, and the acts being perpetrated against women, children and also men. She also includes a chapter of many women speaking about living under the conditions of the Jehadi and the Taliban. The last chapter educates us about the organizations that are working towards a change, and what we can do to help. Another good book about the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA) is, "Veiled Courage: Inside the Afghan Women's Resistance", and "Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom" is an excellent and comprehensive book written by two Afghanistan refugees.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrible!, April 8, 2002

By	N. tan (manila Philippines) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For all those women who wants to know how its like living under the taliban gov't,this book is a must have. Here one can find the real situation of women living under the terror of the taliban,this book described the shocking truth of hell and one can never imagine how women in afghanistan were able to survived in this kind of narrow minded taliban gov't. Buy this book before they run out of print.