Afghan Modern

“[An] extremely valuable and interesting work.”—Anatol Lieven, The New York Review of Books

“A comprehensive history of the country… [Crews] dispels the clichés that have attached themselves to our language and imagery of the country… Afghan Modern [is] required reading for generals, policy-makers, NGOs and journalists.”—Heidi Kingstone, Standpoint

“A fresh look at the Afghans that discards old legends and stereotypes and characterizes the people as tremendously mobile and cosmopolitan. Crews rejects the view of Afghanistan as ‘hopelessly archaic and insular’ and finds that it has been long and unfairly defined by foreign occupiers… An impressively thinking-outside-of-the-box approach to reconsidering this pivotal Asian nation and its people.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In a remarkable achievement, Crews shows us how Afghanistan has been an integral part of imperial, international, and now global circuits of politics and culture. Clearing away tenacious stereotypes about Afghan society’s domination by tribe, clan, and village, he demonstrates why recent military and humanitarian interventions based on such categories have been disastrous and why Afghan nationalism is likely to survive the violent adventurism that has marked the country’s modern history.”—Faisal Devji, author of Muslim Zion and The Impossible Indian

“An exceptional book that, for the first time, places Afghan history on the global stage. Deeply researched and highly accessible, Afghan Modern illustrates the many ways that Afghan society has long been engaged with globalizing forces and explores how these forces shaped Afghanistan from the sixteenth century to the modern day.”—Scott C. Levi, author of Caravans: Indian Merchants on the Silk Road