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Part of the Story of Afghanistan
Sometimes I think that all of the stories about Afghanistan have already been told. I’ve read so many books about life here – stories about life under the Taliban, traveling with the mujahadin, and interactions with Afghans in the near and far reaches of the country. These stories are about war, loss, resilience, survival, family, sacrifice, love of country. There are so many of them. But there is always one more, your story or a story about someone you know. I think the narratives complete and clash with each other because seemingly everyone here has something compelling to say. It’s a complicated, place. I’ve just returned after a break, and to say that I was gone in a time of great tumult is an understatement. The death of a dear colleague … Read entire article »
Recent Blogs
In Memory of Anne Smedinghoff
I am back in DC and the first thing that I learned after getting to my house was that there had been a deadly attack in Zabul. I then learned that Anne Smedinghoff was the young diplomat who was senselessly killed, while on her way to deliver books to a school. Anne was a good friend and colleague in the public affairs section. We were in training together and landed in Kabul the same day in July of last year. There are so many things that I could say about her, but her parents said it best. My favorite memory of Anne is when we went to the Rotary Club fundraiser at Strikers bowling alley … Read entire article »
Home Again!
I’m back in DC for a few weeks, and looking forward to seeing family and friends. I realize that I haven’t blogged in a bit, and here’s why. It’s been a busy month in Kabul, most importantly with Secretary Kerry’s visit and our ability, through his meeting with women entrepreneurs, to highlight the progress of women in business. I was so proud to work on the event that featured seven women business leaders, and to see its impact. Here are some links to photos, and also to what Sec. Kerry had to say about the impact of meeting and talking to these women. I am lucky to meet and work with these courageous and smart … Read entire article »
Writing About Divorce (Law)
Last year, I spent some time writing about divorce – no, not my own – but divorce law and practice in four countries. Here is my take away. A country’s laws and practices around divorce are indicative of how a country values women. I’m pleased that the newly published Cultural Sociology of Divorce contains pieces I wrote about Afghanistan, Armenia, Cameroon and Swaziland, all countries where I’ve worked. The laws in these countries – all reflect long standing and imbedded views of women in those places. Interesting process of researching; interesting articles. … Read entire article »
From Mumbai to the Maldives
What a journey, and an amazing set of contrasts. (As I called it before I left, the “great contrasts tour,” and I was right!”) Mumbai was a lot like I expected – hectic, exciting, historic, overcrowded and yet very comfortable. The colonial influence prevails especially in the Colaba area, with the Taj Hotel, the Prince of Wales Museum, the train station and the University of Mumbai. I loved those sights, and more, but I also loved walking around, shopping in stores of every kind and going into small art galleries and restaurants, where hundreds of Indians and tourists were doing what I was – enjoying themselves. I was in the middle of Katherine Boo’s amazing … Read entire article »
New Pieces Published: Women in Today’s World
I’m excited that the newly published Multimedia Encyclopedia of Women in Today’s World contains seven entries that I authored, including short biographic pieces on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Bahraini businesswoman and Vital Voices Honoree Afnan Al-Zayani, as well as profiles of three great organizations, Kakenya’s School of Excellence (in rural Kenya), Vital Voices Global Partnership and Women for Women International. This online version of an earlier edition also contains an update of my piece on Women Heads of State. I wrote these pieces in late 2011, so it’s been quite an interesting experience watching a major work wind its way through the editing and publication process. It was also … Read entire article »
Judging the Jessup
This blog was also posted on Huffington Post on February 5, 2013. Stories about Afghanistan are often told in large set pieces about war, violence and regional history. And in fact those stories are critical to understanding the region, the country and the life that people live. But I am attracted to the small stories, the details that can easily be missed. One such story was my recent experience as a judge in Afghanistan’s Jessup Moot Court competition, which was held over several days last week. By way of background, the Jessup is the world’s largest moot court competition, with participants from over 500 law schools in 80 countries. In this competition, teams of up to five … Read entire article »
Amanpour (Virtually) Meets with Women Journalists in Kabul
Technology is amazing. Last evening, I attended a video linkup with Christiane Amanpour and a group of about 12 women journalists and bloggers in Kabul. It was a remarkable exchange, as the women talked about the challenges facing them in their careers (the difficulty of getting a key interview, for example) and the issues facing women here in Afghanistan. There was lots of lively give and take and not enough time. But, it was fascinating to listen to the conversation, and I was reminded about the critical importance of stories and the courage it takes to tell them. Amanpour’s early career success was due in some measure to her groundbreaking interview with Taliban leadership in … Read entire article »
5 Books & 2 Films About Afghanistan Worth Your Time
This article also appeared on the Huffington Post, January 23, 2013. I’m on an email list where, at each year end, we exchange lists of books and movies we recommend to each other. This year, I decided to focus on books and films re Afghanistan. This is in no way a comprehensive list of books or films about the country, or even everything that I have read, but it’s a good start for anyone who wants to learn more. Here are my picks: 1) The Taliban by Ahmed Rashid: originally written in 2000, the author, a long time reporter on the country, updated the book in 2010. It’s timely and relevant and gives a good perspective on modern Afghan history and politics. 2) The … Read entire article »
Home for the Holidays!
Well, not quite all of the holidays, but I was home and so enjoyed my time catching up with everyone and being part of a community of great people. I was struck by how much we all rely on family and friends and the importance of community and sharing. In the wake of the tragedy of Newtown, Connecticut, it seems even more important to keep our friendships and connections alive across the miles and time zones, and to continue to share what happens in our lives. At this time of year, may we all give of ourselves, support those who support us, and be kind to those around us. That is really the spirit of … Read entire article »