By Nadia Zaboura and
Nils Minkmar
It is an occasion on which many media are looking to Afghanistan these days: Two years ago, the Taliban again took power in the Hindu Kush. But the current attention at this time immediately around August 15 is an exception. Since the hasty withdrawal of Western troops and the dramatic scenes at Kabul Airport, the country has become very quiet in many newspapers, broadcasters and online formats.
Meanwhile, the supply situation for the population has deteriorated dramatically. Women are massively oppressed by the ruling Taliban. Free journalism has become almost impossible and only a few foreign media report regularly from the country.
Are the country and its people appearing in our media in a way that would be appropriate given the dramatic situation and the years of western military presence?
Does the reporting go beyond depicting the crisis, misery and Taliban atrocities? And what does all this do to our image of Afghanistan?
Questions that are also important for European immigration societies: in Germany alone there are around 420,000 people with an Afghan migration history.
The communication scientist Nadia Zaboura and SZ journalist Nils Minkmar will discuss. Guest is Emran Feroz, Austrian journalist with Afghan roots and author of the book “The Longest War. 20 Years War on Terror”.
“quoted. the media podcast” is a cooperation between the CIVIS Media Foundation for Integration and Cultural Diversity in Europe and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, funded by the Mercator Foundation.
The next issue will appear in 14 days, on Thursday 31 August 2023.
Left:
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/projekte/artikel/gesellschaft/afghanistan-taliban-frauen-kabul-e537056/?reduced=true (Paywall)
Weltspiegel article on the religious school for girls in Kabul:
STRG_F with the Taliban: why do people like them?