State Formation in Afghanistan: A Theoretical and Political History

356 Pages·2017·4.311 MB·English

by  Mujib Rahman Rahimi

MujibRahmanRahimiisadiplomatandcivilservantinAfghanistan.
He holds a PhD from the University of Essex.
‘A seminal work with significant implications for traditional views of
Afghanistan, it seamlessly weaves discourse theory with empirical
research into original material to unpack and lay bare the frailty of
receivedwisdomonthehistoryandformationofthecountryasanation
state.Anessentialread,providingalong-overduecriticalperspectiveon
theexoticisedportrayalofAfghanistan’shistoryandpeoplesandtherole
of colonial knowledge production in it.’
– Ahmad Shayeq Qassem, author of
Afghanistan’s Political Stability: A Dream Unrealised
‘Academicbooksaresometimesaccusedofnotbeingrelevantorurgent
with respect to the pressing issues of our time. This charge most
emphatically cannot be levelled at this timely and impressive work of
scholarship. It explores a key set of challenges facing contemporary
Afghanistan,theregionandinternationalrelationsmoregenerally.State
Formation in Afghanistan provides a brilliant and erudite genealogical
analysis of the emergence and formation of the Afghan state, thus
disclosing alternative possibilities and a more pluralizing ethos. Mujib
RahmanRahimihaswrittenasplendidtourdeforce,whichwillmakea
lasting contribution to our understanding of Afghanistan and the
prospects for peace, stability and democracy.’
– David Howarth, Department of Government,
University of Essex
STATE
FORMATION IN
AFGHANISTAN
A Theoretical and Political History
M R R
UJIB AHMAN AHIMI
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For Somaya, Asmah and Yaser, words cannot express the depth
of my love and gratitude.

CONTENTS
Acknowledgements xi
List of Maps xiii
Introduction 1
Problematizing the Literature on Official Discourse
of State Formation in Afghanistan 5
The Afghan/Pashtun Ethno-centric Nationalist
Exclusionary Discourse 5
The Colonial and Post-Colonial Discourse 5
The Non-Pashtun Inclusive Discourse 6
The Post-Dislocation Critical Discourse 6
Organization of the Chapters 7
On Materials and Sources Consulted 10
1. Theoretical Framework 18
Introduction 18
Discourse Theory 19
Derrida’s and Foucault’s Perception of Discourse 20
Discourse Theory of Laclau and Mouffe 23
Transforming Antagonism into Agonism 35
Colonialism and Post-Colonial Discourse 36
Discourse, Orientalism, and Deconstruction 39
Colonial Knowledge and the Question of Credibility 40
The State Debate 42
Concluding Remarks 56
viii STATEFORMATIONIN AFGHANISTAN
2. Reconstructing the Official Discourse of State Formation
in Afghanistan: 1880–2010 58
Introduction 58
Codification and Establishment of the Official Discourse
1880–1901/1901–19 61
Establishment and Enrichment of the Official Discourse
1919–28 65
Sophistication and Advancement of the Official Discourse
1930–78 68
Dislocation and Diversification 1978–2001 84
A Return to the Past: The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
2001–10 87
3. Reconstructing the Discourse of State Formation in
English Literature on Afghanistan: 1809–2010 90
Introduction 90
Colonial Knowledge Formation 1808–1901 95
George Forster 95
Mountstuart Elphinstone 98
Afghanistan and Afghans; as the Master Signifier
of the Discourse 99
The Nodal Point of Emergence 103
The Nodal Point of Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) or
Governance through Assemblies 105
The Nodal Point of Invasion and Resistance 106
Convergence of Colonial Discourse with Afghan National
Discourse (1901–78) 108
Afghanistan and Afghans as the Master Signifier of the
Discourse in Post-1920 109
The Nodal Point of Emergence 114
The Nodal Point of Jirga and Loya Jirga or Government
through Assemblies 115
The Nodal Point of Invasion and Resistance 115
L. Dupree 116
The Nodal Point of Emergence 117
The Nodal Point of Loya Jirga or Governance by Councils 118
The Nodal Point of Invasion and Resistance 119
A Post-1980 Perspective of State Formation in English 120
CONTENTS ix
An Afghan Perspective of State Formation in English 123
Afghan (Pashtun) Writers and the Discourse of State
Formation 126
Dislocation, Diversification and Decolonization 1978–2010 131
Concluding Remarks 132
4. Historiographies, Treaties, Cartographies and Atlases:
Problematizing the Official Discourse of State
Formation in Afghanistan 137
Introduction 137
The Historiography of 1300–1880 and the Story of
State Formation in Afghanistan 138
Genesis of the Afghan State in the Light of Treaties
and Official Engagements with the East India Company
and the British Empire 148
Cartography, Maps, Atlases, Historical Geography and the
Master Signifier of the Official Discourse: Ariana,
Khurasan and Afghanistan 151
Concluding remarks 161
5. Dislocation, Diversification and Decolonization of the
Official Discourse of State Formation in Afghanistan 165
Introduction 165
The Post-Dislocation English Literature and the Master
Signifier of the Official Discourse: Afghanistan and Afghans 167
Jonathan L. Lee 168
Benjamin David Hopkins 175
Christine Noelle-Karimi 181
Thomas Barfield 183
Indigenous Post-Dislocation Discourses in English
Challenging the Official Narrative 184
M. Nazif Shahrani 185
Sayed Askar Mousavi 187
Angela Pervanta 194
Shah Mahmoud Hanifi 195
Indigenous Post-Dislocation Discourses in Persian
Challenging the Official Narrative 201
Muhaiddin Mehdi 201