Measuring Perceptions About the Pashtun People
Abstract
The Afghanistan-Pakistan border region is the traditional territory of the Pashtun people, who have experienced a series of wars and other disruptions since the 1970s. Since then, little academic research about this group has been undertaken, although beliefs about Pashtuns affect policies and strategies in the region, including counterinsurgency. This study's purpose was to measure beliefs about Pashtuns among English-speaking policy makers, experts, and other opinion leaders. The authors analyzed 138 articles and 52 interviews and coded them based on how Pashtuns were characterized. Pashtuns were most commonly characterized as proud, victimized, sectarian, tribal, and hospitable; they were not stereotyped as warlike, misogynous, illiterate, conservative, or medieval. Diversity was widely acknowledged, as were changes Pashtuns have experienced in recent decades. Some saw Pashtuns as natural Taliban allies, while others considered them more opportunistic, suggesting competing schools of thought about counterinsurgency: population-centric versus enemy-centric. This study points to a need for more extensive and systematic research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA540834
Entities
People
- Amin Tarzi
- Robert D. Lamb
Organizations
- Center for Strategic and International Studies