1st Edition
War, Exile and the Music of Afghanistan The Ethnographer’s Tale
Contents: Introduction; Before the communist coup of 1978; The jihâd (holy war) era; The mujahideen parties come to power; Taliban times; Kabul after the Taliban; The global circulation of Afghanistan’s music; The summing up; Glossary of musical instruments; Bibliography; Index.
Biography
John Baily is Emeritus Professor of Ethnomusicology at Goldsmiths, University of London. He holds doctorates in experimental psychology and ethnomusicology, and is trained in anthropological filmmaking. Baily has taught at The Queen’s University of Belfast, Columbia University and Goldsmiths; most of his research has been on the music of Afghanistan.
'With its complementary DVD, this book gives a vivid picture of what has been happening since the communist government was worn down by the jihadis, and mujahideen rule gave way to that of the Taliban, who burned instruments and persecuted their owners.' The Independent
'It forms a common ground that will allow ethnomusicologists to communicate with
anthropologists, and film-makers with singers and musicians. The result is a harmonious interpolation destined to shepherd the reader calmly through Afghanistan’s crisis of war and exile. It will be seen as a classic text on the
country’s music.' Nichola Khan, Journal of the Royal Antrhopological Institute"This book is a valuable read for anyone interested in Afghanistan's music in the light of its contemporary history or, vice versa, its contemporary history from the point of view of its music, since it is very comprehensive in both respects, with interesting reflections on the deep mechanisms at work in this vast example." – Mathieu Clavel - Translated from French by Sarah Baily
