In November 2005, nine Afghan women leaders gathered at the Mershon Center at Ohio State University to present their views of what was happening to their country and, more importantly, what needed to be done to save it. In Contested Terrain, Sally L. Kitch constructs a compelling narrative that illuminates the lives and opinions of two of those women: Judge Marzia Basel, founder of the Afghan Women Judges Association, and Jamila Afghani, founder and director of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Center.
Contending with the complex dynamics of a society both undergoing and resisting change, Basel and Afghani speak candidly--and critically--of international intervention, the oppression of women, patriarchal Afghan culture, and the climate among Afghan women that limits change. As relayed by Kitch, the personal histories and commentaries of these courageous women draw the reader into a complex world in which immense possibility alternates and vies with utter hopelessness. The narrative provides an oft-ignored perspective on the personal and professional lives of Afghanistan's women.
Strongly rooted in feminist theory and supported by interdisciplinary historical and geopolitical analysis, Contested Terrain sheds new light on the struggle against the power forces that affect Afghan women's education, health, political participation, liveliehoods, and quality of life. The book also suggests how a new dialogue might be started in which women from across geopolitical boundaries might find common cause for change and rewrite their collective stories.
"Kitch writes beautifully and in a very engaging manner that draws the reader into the story she is telling. Jamila and Marzia come across as thoughtful and compelling women of great integrity who have devoted themselves to women's rights and national progress."
- Valentine Moghadam, author of Globalization and Social Movements: Islamism, Feminism, and the Global Justice Movement
"Presents insights into the lives of...urban, educated Afghan women in a way that other books and articles available do not...Kitch's reflections and conclusions are unique and valuable to the conversation about Afghanistan, gender, international intervention, and development."
- Anne Brodsky, author of With All Our Strength: The Revolutionary Association of the Women in Afghanistan