By Anna Kellar

On December 8, the Yale Afghanistan Forum brought Professor Mariam Abou-Zahab, of Science-Po (home of the Paris Globalist), to New Haven to speak about the origins of the Taliban. Professor Abou-Zahab is a political sociologist, and an expert on the Pashtun tribal areas.

While at Yale, she discussed her current work over lunch with the Muslim Students Association. She also participated in a panel entitled “The Taliban as a Social Movement” with Yale World Fellow Alexander Evans, who has served in Pakistan with the UK Foreign Office.

The Taliban arose in the Pashtun areas along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Some people believe that the traditional Pashtun tribal structure is intact in this area and that the Taliban are a temporary aberration, but Abou Zahab argued that the Taliban represent a transformative social movement.

This has implications for those who wish to see the Taliban defeated. The conflict cannot be viewed simply as an insurgency. It more closely resembles a civil war, in which battles are often the continuation of local struggles. The Taliban view themselves as a movement for justice, delivering the security and order that the government does not. The Taliban seek to change the existing society, and therefore don’t appeal to the old tribal hierarchy.

As conflict continues throughout the Pashtun region, there are more and more displaced people. A whole generation has faced extreme violence, and is being urbanized by force As a result, for example, Kabul’s population has quadrupled since 1978. These people are easy recruits for the Taliban, which can offer a path to power and prestige.

When Evans interviewed people from the tribal areas, he heard their overwhelming cries for development, education and economic opportunity. Both Evans and Abou Zahab agreed that, while the present generation may be lost, any hope for the future lies with the children.

A full description of the panel can be found on the Yale Afghanistan Forum blog:

http://afghanistanforum.wordpress.com

Anna Kellar is a sophomore at Yale University and a Global21 Senior Editorial Associate.