Taliban narratives : the use and power of stories in the Afghanistan conflict / Thomas Johnson.
By: Johnson, Thomas H [author.]
.Series: Oxford scholarship online: Publisher: New York, NY : Oxford University Press, 2019Description: 1 online resource : illustrations (black and white).Content type: text | still image Media type: computer Carrier type: online resourceISBN: 9780190943158 (ebook) :.Subject(s): Taliban members' writings | Afghan War, 2001- -- Mass media and warAdditional Physical Form: Print version : 9780190840600DDC classification: 958.1047 Online resources: Oxford scholarship online Summary: Why has the Taliban been so much more effective in presenting messages that resonate with the Afghan population than the US, the Afghan government & their allies? This text, based on years of field research & the assessment of hundreds of original source materials, examines the information operations & related narratives of Afghan insurgents, especially the Afghan Taliban, & investigates how the Taliban has won the information war. Taliban messaging, wrapped in the narrative of jihad, is both to the point & in tune with its target audiences. On the other hand, the US & its Kabul allies committed a basic messaging blunder, failing to present narratives that spoke to or, often, were even understood by their target audiences. Importantly, the text systematically explains why the US lost this 'battle of the story' in Afghanistan, & argues that this defeat may have cost the US the entire war, despite its conventional & technological superiority.
| Item type | Current library | Class number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ebook | House of Lords Library - Palace Online access | 1 | Available |
Previously issued in print: 2018.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Why has the Taliban been so much more effective in presenting messages that resonate with the Afghan population than the US, the Afghan government & their allies? This text, based on years of field research & the assessment of hundreds of original source materials, examines the information operations & related narratives of Afghan insurgents, especially the Afghan Taliban, & investigates how the Taliban has won the information war. Taliban messaging, wrapped in the narrative of jihad, is both to the point & in tune with its target audiences. On the other hand, the US & its Kabul allies committed a basic messaging blunder, failing to present narratives that spoke to or, often, were even understood by their target audiences. Importantly, the text systematically explains why the US lost this 'battle of the story' in Afghanistan, & argues that this defeat may have cost the US the entire war, despite its conventional & technological superiority.
Specialized.
English text with selection in Dari with parallel English translation from the Dari.
Description based on online resource; title from home page (viewed on January 21, 2019).