The production of discourses and representations, by the media, about Afghanistan tends to spread stereotypes that ignore the complexities of Afghan microsocieties, these understood as ethnic groups, relatively autonomous capable of rivaling nation projects with the central power, according to Amin Saikal. Understanding this Asian country is necessary for comprehending the interests in disputes of the great economic and military powers during the period of the East-West clashes, between the years 1977 to 1983, especially the United States and the Soviet Union, and also to break with Orientalism as formulated by Said. In this sense, the research is proposed to approach not only the armed conflicts that involved the Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan, but above all, in the representations and the ideological disputes of narratives disseminated by the periodical The Kabul Times. This research aims to break with reductionist conceptions of passivity of microsocieties in the face of the coups and countercoups that followed the fall of Zahir Shah's reign, demonstrating its fundamental role in cultural, social, political and economic resistance. Discourse analysis techniques were used, through the theoretical-methodological contributions of Chartier, Bourdieu and Charaudeau. The afghan people contested the hegemonic state discourses, by opposing the Agrarian and Educational Reform in the Taraki government, as they contradict their interests and traditions, action also verified in the massacre of Herat where the microsocieties joined the local garrisons. The participation of microsocieties can also be seen in the organizations of resistance and national liberation groups, the mujahideen, who opposed the Soviet invasion.

Authors:
Yuri Alan Maciel Tesch, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil

About the Presenter(s)
Mr Yuri Alan Maciel Tesch is a University Doctoral Student at Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF) in Brazil

See this presentation on the full schedule – Monday Schedule

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