Analyzing Taliban taranas (Chants): An Effective Afghan Propaganda Artifact

Abstract

This article describes and analyzes a little understood Afghan Taliban propaganda tool: chants or taranas. These melodic refrains effectively use historical narratives, symbology, and iconic portraits. The chants are engendered in emotions of sorrow, pride, desperation, hope, and complaints to mobilize and convince the Afghan population of the Taliban's worldview. The chants represent culturally relevant and simple messages that are communicated in a narrative and poetic form that is familiar to and resonates with the local people. They are virtually impossible for the United States and NATO to counter because of Western sensitivities concerning religious themes that dominate the Taliban narrative space, not to mention the lack of Western linguistic capabilities, including the understanding and mastering the poetic nature of local dialects.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA539768

Entities

People

  • Ahmad Waheed
  • Thomas H. Johnson

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artifacts
  • Asia
  • Families (Human)
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Language
  • Military Operations
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Propaganda
  • Psychology
  • Religion
  • Rocket Propelled Grenades
  • Security
  • United States
  • Urban Areas
  • Ussr

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.

Technology Areas

  • Space