From an analysis of the interview transcripts and text, answer the research question: ‘How might the experience of exile affect a sense of identity?

Throughout give me references and at the end give me a coding index and an appendix chart

Follow this structure below

Introduction: (around 200 words)
Outline the structure of your essay and set the scene with some very brief information relating to the
topic of the research question
Part 1 (around 800-1000 words)
Briefly introduce the data set for part one – the interviews and the study for which it was
compiled.
Briefly outline the general tenants of Thematic Analysis (with reference to the analytic
hierarchy and relevant methodological literature), as an approach to analysing qualitative
data.
Present your findings and give a clear account of how you developed your codes and themes
– you must evidence this by including a section of your coding index and at least a sub
section of your thematic chart in the appendix
Discuss your findings/data analysis with respect to others’ findings on these topics in the
wider literature. The more directly related these sources are to your specific findings, the
better.
Part 2 (around 650-750 words)
Briefly Introduce the data set for part 2 – the newspaper article.
Explain which Discourse Analysis technique(s) you plan to use and why it is appropriate for
your data set (e.g. discourse analysis; CDA; or a combination of techniques)
Explain how you have applied these techniques (how you have coded data etc.)
Present findings and analyse data in light of the research question.
Discuss findings in relation to what others have found in the wider literature.
Part 3
Briefly discuss and compare the findings from both types of analyses and their secondary
literature.
Conclusion: Summarise key points (around 200 words

Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
Interviewer: Please tell me about your experiences?
Fahima: I have lived in London for 20 years. I feel that I
belong to the world. I wrote a book after the death
of my husband. It took me six years to write this
book. The main reason for writing this book was my
loneliness. After his death I felt that I have to write
something. Also I wanted to leave something for
my children so that one day they read this book
and understand where they come from and where
they belong. I also wrote another book about
Afghanistan and I have written a book of poem.
Interviewer: Please tell me about your husband?
Fahima: My husband travelled to Iran, Pakistan and India
but settled in Afghanistan. He was a very successful
man.
Interviewer: Where do you belong?
Fahima: For me and my husband being a Shi’a or Sunni did
not and does not matter, what is important is that
we are Muslims. For many people religion and
ethnicity are important part of their identity
Interviewer: Why did you come to live in London?
Fahima: We had a comfortable life in Afghanistan. I was a
teacher and my husband was a journalist. After the
USSR invasion everything changed. My husband’s
writings were against the government. It was a
dangerous situation, he was sent to prison twice.
After that we felt that we had to leave.
Interviewer: Please tell me about both your good and bad
experiences here in exile?
Fahima: I think coming here, had some positive points for
us. Thank God that as a refugee we had a good
situation here. Fortunately all the people around us
were good. This helped us to forget that we are in
exile. This was a positive side of my experience.
But cultural and language differences have been
painful for me and my children. All the time I have
been worried about the future of my children in
exile. I have always been in contradiction with
myself about what to be, where to belong.
Although I live so far away from Afghan society but
I can’t adapt myself with the society here. We have
1
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
many friends here and we do discuss this issue, but
I don’t feel close to them because of cultural
differences. After 20 years living in the UK, I still
follow my own culture. For good or bad, I’m proud
to be Afghan. I don’t feel close to many people
within the Afghan community and often ask myself
where do I belong? Sometimes I feel that I don’t
have anything to talk about, I feel that I don’t have
much in common with many people whether within
the Afghan community or various British
communities. I feel a big gap between myself and
many other Afghan women. I feel that keeping to
your own culture is more than to stay at home and
do the housework.
Interviewer: Is there a generation gap among the Afghan
communities?
Fahima: Yes, it is very painful for me. My children were very
young when they came here. If I ask them whether
they are Afghan or British they become upset,
especially my daughter. All the time they say we
are Afghans and we are proud to be Afghans. But in
reality I know for fact that they are more British
than Afghans. They don’t know much about
Afghanistan, but they believe they are Afghans.
Most families feel the same. I think we have to
leave our children to find themselves. Unfortunately
some families insist that their children are Afghans.
This is difficult for children who live, study and
work in a European society, inside the home they
try to be Afghan and outside of the home they try
to be British. This is a difficult situation for them
and they feel under a great deal of pressure of
family and the society. Some have to hide what
they are, some are confused. We have to help them
to think freely. Otherwise they hate both cultures.
For example, my younger son never talks about
Afghanistan. He doesn’t like Afghan culture. This is
hard for me. But I try to understand and tell myself
that if he grows up to be a good man it doesn’t
matter whether he is Afghan or British, but the
reality is that I want my children to be Afghans and
they are not.
Interviewer: Are you completely Afghan?
Fahima: I don’t know where I belong. Because of this, all
the time I feel I’m in exile. Once my younger son
did something and I told him that you shouldn’t do
2
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
this you are Afghan. He said No, I’m not. I asked
him what are you. He answered, I’m Mr. Nobody. It
was very upsetting for me. But I’m proud of them
even if they are not Afghans.
Interviewer: Do you have a close relationship with the Afghan
community in London or in the UK?
Fahima: Some Afghans are very close with their community.
Some are not. I am moderately involved. It’s not
right to make a wall around us to keep our own
cultures. We shouldn’t limit ourselves. We have to
adapt ourselves. I think I belong to both
communities. But, sometimes both communities
make me sad.
Interviewer: Do you agree with Edward Said who says that it is
good to be outside of both communities because
you can see things better?
Fahima: I do agree with him. I really do. I like to belong to
the human society no matter where we live.
Interviewer: Please tell me about your experiences when you
went to Kabul recently after 22 years?
Fahima: I went to visit my brother, at the time of the Taliban
he went to Pakistan as a refugee. He stayed there
for 10 years with his family. But he moved back to
Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban. So I went
to visit him. I have two brothers. Both of them
were in Pakistan. But one of them went to Canada
as a refugee. My sister is in Germany. My aunt is in
Australia: Most of my families are refugees in
different countries. I don’t have much contact with
them.
Interviewer: You said you like to belong to the world, is this
because your family live in different part of the
world?
Fahima: Not necessarily. Some years ago I was invited to an
international peace conference in Switzerland. This
idea of belonging to the world was discussed at that
conference and had a great impact on my thinking
and seeing the world. I think to build a better
society; we should change ourselves to a better
human being. I try to change myself in a positive
way and bring up my children in a positive way to
be useful for their society.
3
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
Interviewer: What changes did you notice in Afghanistan after
22 years?
Fahima: I imagined a ruined Afghanistan and that is what I
saw which was shocking for me and I was very sad.
I was crying all the time. I was not alone but I felt
lonely. Everything was strange for me. The Taliban
fell in 2001. During these four years nothing has
been done. Everything was ruined. People were
lonely. The works of organisations were limited. All
the time they talked about the money that was
sent to rebuilt Afghanistan. But unfortunately I saw
nothing. People are very poor, they had some
freedom and they could freely talk, but poverty is
overwhelming. I felt nostalgic because I saw
economic poverty as well as cultural poverty.
Interviewer: What about schools?
Fahima: Some schools are open but students don’t have
books, pens and pencils. There are no teachers,
children are hungry and they don’t have clean
water to drink so how can they study in such a
condition? Girls who are studying in grades 8 or 9
are teaching smaller children. The economic
problem is overwhelming. The question that I have
is where did all the money, the aid money for
Afghanistan go. Beside the ruined houses palaces
are built. How can they provide money to build
palaces, but there is no money to provide clean
water, schools and hospitals? Beggars are all over
the streets. Some of them don’t have hand, foot,
eye; little children are hungry and are walking in
the streets. All these made me sad. I cannot
believe that government doesn’t have any power to
put an end to all these. This made me suspicious of
the government. I am sure there are honest people
in the government, but unfortunately their numbers
are few and have no voice.
Interviewer: How do you assess the role of international NGO’s
or UN organisations?
Fahima: They are overcrowding and not much is being done.
Before going to Afghanistan, whenever people said
that these NGO’s don’t help Afghanistan, I got
angry. I thought they are there to help, why people
criticising them. But when I went there I saw with
my own eyes that these criticisms are valid. I found
4
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
out that all the things that I heard were true. Many
people feel that they are in Afghanistan for their
own benefit and have their own agenda. I think it’s
the fault of the government. The government
should check their work and ask how they are
spending the money. Otherwise I see no positive
role for them. May be I’m pessimistic about
everything but it’s because of the bad condition
that I saw in Afghanistan.
Interviewer: What do you think about the UNDP report on
Afghanistan?
Fahima: Afghanistan’s development is very slow. There are
many problems, such as ethnic discrimination, and
massive class differentiations. The rich are richer
and the poor are poorer. Again different ethnic
groups Hazara, Tajik, and Uzbek are fighting with
each other.
Interviewer: Which group has more members in the parliament?
Fahima: I don’t know. We have all of them in different
important ranks. But we see no positive results.
They just think about the number of Hazaras,
Uzbeks, or Pashtuns in different tasks, everybody is
concerned about the numbers but not the quality of
the work. No-one is concerned about economic
problems which is a serious problem.
I like to belong to the world because I want to
show to the Afghans that firstly I am a woman
activist and I am as able as men. Secondly I want
to show to different ethnic groups that we need to
move away from our prejudices and see ourselves
as Afghans.
Interviewer: What percentages of women who live outside
Afghanistan share your views?
Fahima: I think I am in the minority.
Interviewer: Do you like to go back to Afghanistan to live?
Fahima: I get angry when people say to me that you will
never go to Afghanistan to live. On the other hand
a part of me knows that this is probably true. I
can’t go back because my children are brought up
here and live here. When I go to Afghanistan I feel
alone and stranger. I feel that I’m not useful for
5
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
Afghan society because I’m not young enough. The
most important reason that prevents me from
going is because I am a woman and from a gender
point of view there is nothing positive to encourage
me to go back. It is not possible for me to start
from the begging.
Interviewer: What is the most important issue in relation to the
reconstruction of Afghanistan?
Fahima: Economic and education are two main important
issues, unfortunately no priority has been given to
any to them.
Interviewer: What about the issue of democracy in Afghanistan?
Fahima: It is a joke; the issues of democracy and women’s
liberation are both big jokes. In Afghanistan we
have chaos and the rule of jungle. Education is pre-
condition for democracy which we don’t have. A
society like Afghanistan needs education, economic
development and discipline. The only thing that has
been adopted from the Western democracy is
drinking alcohol and wearing Western clothes.
Similarly on women’s issues, education is the most
important thing for women and we will not achieve
women’s liberation until women and men give
importance to the education of girls. Women are
trying hard in Afghanistan but their activities are
being suppressed by men and people in power. In a
democratic society we have university and
development. But in Afghanistan we won’t see
these things. Afghans really don’t know anything
about democracy. They have only seen the negative
sides of Western democracy and Western culture.
Whenever we imitated Western culture we failed
but unfortunately we haven’t learnt a lesson yet.
Illiteracy is an obstacle in the way of women
achieving liberation and democracy. Men are also
sometimes obstacle on the way of women achieving
their potential. Some men are ignorant and don’t
like women’s activities and achievements in the
society. This way of thinking is because of lack of
knowledge. There are also educated men who think
they are open-minded, but they pretend, they are
threatened by women’s activities in the society. As
a result they say women should stay in the home,
because they cannot tolerate women in higher
ranks than themselves. For example, they sacked
6
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
Sima Samar as the Minister for Women because
she was outspoken and critical of the government.
Interviewer: What do you think about the availability of
pornography in big cities?
Fahima: Afghanistan is in chaos because of this. This is not
freedom and we don’t need this freedom. It’s
disgusting. They have to control it, imagine those
children and youngsters that come from the
countryside and can access them. What will happen
to them? It is crazy that we have fundamentalism
side by side pornography.
Interviewer: What is the role of international community?
Fahima: Generally most of the people have negative view
about them and the role of the US. Before, they
had this negative feeling towards the USSR, but
now the focus is on the USA: The interesting thing
is that they think all the foreigners are Americans.
They don’t distinguish between Italian, French,
Japanese and German; they see them all as
Americans and blame them for everything. They
believe that in the name of reconstruction
foreigners have created chaos in Afghanistan. But
they don’t say much because they are tired of war
and conflicts. But if the present situation continues
another war will start.
Interviewer: How about the positive side of the Western culture
that can be used in the process of reconstruction?
Fahima: There are many positive things in the West that we
can use in Afghanistan. Education and health are
the most important issues that we can learn from
the experience of the West. However, to follow the
negative aspects of Western culture blindly will
have a terrible impact on Afghan society. We should
learn the positive aspects of Western culture.
Interviewer: Do you think changes must come from Afghans
themselves?
Fahima: During these years large numbers of Afghans have
lived outside of Afghanistan, they are educated;
they have skills and are able to participate in the
reconstruction of Afghanistan. Foreign forces are
useful to do a certain amount but the real
construction has to be done by Afghan themselves.
7
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int050; UK05
Foreigners are not familiar with Afghan culture so
they can’t help Afghans. We need educated and
professional Afghans for Afghanistan.
8

Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int056; USA03
2
Interviewer: Please tell me about your feeling when the US
bombed Afghanistan after 9/11.
Zamarai: I travelled to Afghanistan during the civil war and
Taliban. We need to understand that the Jihad
against the Soviet Union was a fight against
anarchy and extremism. The Mujaheddin had the
support of America and other Western
governments. The Soviet Union was defeated after
two stages of resistance. I feel that the US and
Western governments wanted the complete defeat
of the Soviet Union and not liberation of
Afghanistan. In fact they sacrificed Afghanistan for
their own agenda. They could have compromised to
bring about a non-extremist government and
system. But their aim was not Afghanistan’s
liberation; their aim was defeat of Soviet Union. Of
course I don’t blame them because they only had
their own interest in mind; the blame is on Afghans
who did not think of their own interest. We were
not able to keep our friendship with the US but also
think of our own interest for our own country. This
did not happen. Also the problem was that the US
and the West only supported the extremists to
defeat the Soviet Union and did not help Afghan
nationalist groups to be the alternative to the
extremists. This also allowed the regional powers
from Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, China
and others to interfere in Afghanistan’s affairs in
one way or another.
All this led to the civil war, in some ways I blame
us for our own problems. Then the Taliban came to
power. All the world powers are responsible from
US, Europe and Japan for the coming to power of
Taliban. I travelled back and forward during the
Taliban. Afghanistan during the Taliban was not in
control of Afghans. Pakistan was in control. The US
bombed Afghanistan in order to defeat the Taliban.
Sadly many innocent people died. But we must
realise that Afghanistan lost its independence
during the Taliban. Of course Taliban did some
good things, such as bringing security to
Afghanistan, stopping drugs and the production of
opium. But they were taking Afghanistan into a
dangerous road. So there was no other choice, but
of course people suffered and were sacrificed.
Interviewer: Tell me more about the issue of identity and the
way you feel a stranger in Afghanistan?
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int056; USA03
3
Zamarai: Some work has been done in Afghanistan. But they
are not interested in involving the Afghan experts?
Interviewer: Who do you mean?
Zamarai: The Afghan administration that is in power in
Afghanistan. There are Afghans who oppose
Afghans engagement in the reconstruction of
Afghanistan. The Afghans who are in power and are
supported by the West oppose the Afghans who live
in the West and are prepared to go back and help
the reconstruction. They feel threatened by the
Afghans who live in the West and want to go back.
I feel that all the talk about Afghans going to
Afghanistan to help is superficial and just a slogan.
The reality is that the doors are locked to us. They
create problems for us to go back. We want to go
back and help our country. But they have their own
agenda and stop us from participating.
Interviewer: To what extent Karzai’s administration is attached
to the American administration?
Zamarai: I participated in the first Loya Jirga; I feel that
Karzai does not make decisions. People above him
make decisions. The neo-conservatives are
involved in decision making in Afghanistan. Those
who committed crimes, killed and raped are now in
power. We will have to see what will happen in
future. We will have to see what will happen in the
elections. This is not good news if we have the
participation of the warlords and those who commit
crimes in the process of reconstruction. People
genuinely participated in the elections, but whether
the work will be done properly is something else.
Interviewer: Explain to me about your experiences as an Afghan
Muslim man in the US.
Zamarai: I feel that if there is any other attack on America,
our situation will become worse. Because there is
already increasing racism and threat against
Muslims in the US. The reality is that this is not our
country, despite the fact that they claim there is a
separation of state from religion, in practice
Christian fundamentalists are in power and make
decisions. They take any opportunity to attack
Muslims. In the recent elections we witnessed how
these groups manipulated the elections. Of course
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int056; USA03
4
ordinary intelligent Americans understand the
situation. But the extremists are in power. I fear
that any attack by Muslim extremists will put us in
danger and make the Christian fundamentalists
strong. I don’t know what will happen to us
because we feel that there is no place for us neither
here nor in Afghanistan.
Interviewer: What do you think of those Afghans who always
stayed in Afghanistan, can they be effective in the
reconstruction.
Zamarai: We have had 25 years of war and conflict; we have
had no education and no expertise. A young Afghan
person of 25 years ago is now a middle age
man/woman. Even if they had any education, they
have forgotten or are not up-to-date. They don’t
have the energy to do much. That is why
international NGOs are so much involved in
Afghanistan. So much money goes to Afghanistan
and comes out, because Afghans are not being
absorbed to these NGOs. They employ specialists
from the West and Japan.
Interviewer: What do you think of the existence of internet cafés
and pornography in Afghanistan?
Zamarai: In my view these are bad for Afghanistan and the
West. There are good aspects of Western culture
that Afghans don’t know about and can embrace
them. But the only thing that people see in Kabul
and other centres is internet cafes and
pornography; they see these as the only aspect of
Western culture.
Interviewer: As a Pashtun man what is your view about the idea
that Pashtuns are too conservatives. To what
extent do you associate ethnic conflicts with wars
and foreign intervention?
Zamarai: Before the Soviet intervention and invasion there
was no conflict. People were aware of diversity but
there was no conflict between Tajiks, Pashtuns and
others. The Soviet backed regime used different
groups against each other and this gradually
became war and conflict. Of course we have
extremists Pashtuns and open minded Pashtuns,
like all other ethnic groups around the world. Of
course the conflicts always become worse when
people face economic difficulties. If we have
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int056; USA03
5
economic reconstruction ethnic conflicts will be
resolved. If there is peace in Afghanistan, there will
be peace in the region. The reason Afghans opened
their doors to the West is that our neighbours
treated us badly.
Interviewer: Tell me about the perception of Afghans in
Afghanistan of those Afghans who live in exile.
Zamarai: Some people in Afghanistan believe that we were
cowards to escape and live outside of Afghanistan
and now we want to return because things are
easier. I don’t believe that we were cowards. We

Interviewer: Please tell me about yourself?
Nahid: I’m married and my husband is English. I was born
in Kabul. My family is from Herat. They moved to
Kabul because there were better schools for my
brother and me. We left Afghanistan because of
violent conflicts. First we went to India and then to
Germany and then to England.
Interviewer: Do you see yourself British or Afghan?
Nahid: I think most of my life I had to negotiate my
identity and culture. Finally I found that I will have
this problem all my life i.e. to negotiate my
identity. I think most Afghans feel that they don’t
belong anywhere. I used to be much more
demanding in the past. I tried to have a fix identity
but it was not possible.
Interviewer: Is there any time that you feel you need to have a
fixed identity?
Nahid: Yes, whenever I feel weak and I feel I don’t belong
anywhere. But now I can see that this is not just
my problem.
Interviewer: Can you give me an example of how you negotiate
your identity?
Nahid: It depends. When I’m with people who don’t know
anything about Afghanistan, I want to tell them
about it and change their ideas about Afghanistan.
I want to tell them this is the country that I come
from, even if they are not interested, I have this
desire to explain to them and to make them aware.
I think I want to know what’s like to be Afghan.
Therefore, I feel that I have identity problem. I
think as a nation we have identity problem. I think
my own problem with my identity reflects the
identity crises in my country. I mean it is about the
boundaries which exist in Afghanistan.
Interviewer: Do you mean ethnic differences?
Nahid: No I mean I cannot speak Pashtun, but I can speak
English, German and French and I can’t understand
the different languages of my own country. It is not
only me, many Afghans feel the same. We try to
create a new identity that includes Islam but it’s
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int052; UK07
2
very difficult as there are all kinds of diversities and
complexities.
Interviewer: Do you think the question that is often raised i.e.
can Afghanistan ever be a nation is too
complicated?
Nahid: Yes, I think the focus on ethnicity is complicated
and can be dangerous
Interviewer: Can Afghans be Afghans instead of Pashtuns,
Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks?
Nahid: I don’t know, for example, why Heratis always
marry Heratis?
Interviewer: Can exile identity help to create national identity?
Nahid: In the West, we have discovered individualism and
when we go back to Afghanistan we forget our
individualism.
Interviewer: What is your experience in the West?
Nahid: When we came to Europe I was a teenager and it
was a very difficult time for me. At first I tried to be
totally European so I stopped speaking Dari when I
came home I spoke English even to my parents.
But when I integrated more into the British culture
I became more interested in my own culture. In
different ways I started searching for my identity,
one time it was Islam, one time it was reading
Persian literature. But then I stopped searching
because I felt identity is something that can be
changed everyday. I think I belong to those people
who did well. I don’t think if I stayed in Afghanistan
I could have achieved what I have achieved here.
When we were in Afghanistan I went to school and
we had a servant, a young girl who was my age.
She cleaned my room. I think injustice is a fact of
life. We lost many people in our family and those
who have survived feel guilty and resentful about
other Afghans.
Interviewer: Is that painful for you?
Nahid: Yes, because I feel that there is a lot to be regained
again. One of my friends who recently came back
from Afghanistan said that many people are bitter
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int052; UK07
3
and resentful, especially if you want to go back and
try to regain your property, land etc.
Interviewer: Do you want to go back?
Nahid: Yes and no. I have given up my Afghan passport,
because I felt safer without it and I felt being
Afghan was the negative side of me being Afghan.
There are more negative sides to Afghan culture.
For example, when I was young my family forbade
me to talk with boys because in the eyes of Afghan
community this was not a good thing. I somehow
felt that when I was in Kabul I was freer.
Interviewer: Did you have problem with your family?
Nahid: Yes, I had.
Interviewer: What did you do?
Nahid: I’m the only girl in my family. I have two brothers.
In my family boys and girls are not equal. For
example when my family is around and we are
talking even about something common when a
woman speaks, it is considered embarrassing but if
a man speaks even if he doesn’t know anything
about anything everybody listen because he is a
man.
Interviewer: How do you negotiate about your identity?
Nahid: I try to be more aware of my surrounding. For
example I’m working with a group of European
women. My behaviour is completely different from
my Afghan friends. I feel that I am two different
persons and I think in two different ways. This was
a difficult struggle but I think it is now less painful.
Interviewer: How do you feel about present situation in
Afghanistan?
Nahid: I think forced modernisation will result in backlash.
People should be ready for it. There are many
Afghans outside Afghanistan. When they go back
they can change many things. We need time. There
is no need to rush. Using the issue of women’s
liberation is completely artificial.
Interviewer: How do you achieve this?
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int052; UK07
4
Nahid: When I went to Europe and I went to school, I got
bad marks for my first essays. My teacher asked
me to explain and argue. But I was brought up not
to think, let alone explain and argue. In
Afghanistan we just memorized things. So I found
out that memorizing things is not good. I had to
think. I came to the conclusion that three is
injustice in our society, a man worth more than a
woman. In the West a man and a woman are
treated relatively equally. They can drive; they can
earn money and learn different languages. Girls in
my family did much better than boys. May be
because they gave more freedom to boys than to
girls. In Afghanistan boys were more responsible
than boys. Girls were only waiting to be married.
So I decided to drop my Afghan culture. But of
course there are also good things in my culture that
I appreciate. When I got married I found out how
much Afghan I was. For example I expected many
things from my husband. I expected my husband to
take all the responsibilities. I decided that he
should be the head of the household and organise
everything. But he said to me that we should do
things equally.
Interviewer: Where is home for you?
Nahid: At the moment UK. I think it’s very personal. Most
of my friends are here. My life is a mixture of
British and Asian. My husband is interested in Asia;

Interviewer: Please tell me about yourself and when you came
to the USA
Turyalai: We first went to Germany and then we came to the
USA: I was four years of age when we came to the
USA:
Interviewer: Where do you belong?
Turyalai: I see myself both as Afghan and American.
Sometimes I feel isolated by both cultures. To
Afghans I am American and to Americans I am
Afghan.
Interviewer: Is this good or is it difficult?
Turyalai: I think it is good. Sometimes I feel this is beautiful
as I can step outside of one and enter the other. I
can step outside of American culture and criticise it
and vice versa. I feel that Americans are so behind
with their arrogance that they cannot see any
criticisms of their culture. The same with Afghans.
They are so arrogant with their culture that they
cannot see any criticisms of themselves. I went
through hell of lot of pain to arrive to where I am
now, i.e. to be happy with what I am.
Interviewer: Is this intellectually good or you personally feel
good about it?
Turyalai: For a long time I did not identify either with
American culture or Afghan culture. For a long time
I felt like African American or Latin American
American. But now I can keep both sides and say
that I am both Afghan and American and I try to
make a balance between the two. To jump from
one extreme to another extreme is dangerous. This
is what is happening in today’s world politics. To
totally oppose your opposition is dangerous. For
example George Bush tries to prove that Bin Laden
is dangerous. But he is more dangerous than Bin
Laden and is worse than him.
Interviewer: Tell me about the conflicts that you went through in
order to arrive to where you are now?
Turyalai: I have had and still have many conflicts with my
parents, especially with my father. For a long time,
my parents tried to prove that they are Americans,
more than any other Afghans that I know. There
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
2
was less nationalism and traditionalism in our
household in comparison with my Afghan friends
and the extended family. When I decided to be
American suddenly my parents, especially my
father, panicked and started saying that we are
Afghans. I was 14 at the time. So they did not
allow me to do things that my American friends did.
I could not understand why white Americans were
dismissive of us and racist towards us, although we
were as rich as them. I felt alienated, I turned to
drugs, and I got into trouble with my parents and
left home.
Afghans are very proud people, expecting their
sons to follow their fathers. I was not doing that.
Therefore, I was isolated from the family. My father
never stepped back allowing me to grow up from
being a child to a man. I could see that my other
friends both Afghans and Americans doing that in
their own different ways. But not my father. I
therefore, felt that if this is being Afghan I don’t
want to be Afghan.
I believe that the well being of people are secured
in young age, I feel that I had many difficulties.
Even, now that I have come back to my parents
and we are in good terms with each other, I don’t
like this beautiful house and neighbourhood. I don’t
belong here. Even now I feel that when push comes
to shove, I am out of here.
Interviewer: Tell me about where you lived when you left home?
Turyalai: From the age of 14 I lived on and off in St.
Fernando Valley, where the majority is non-white
Americans. I have many friends there; I belong
there with them not here with my family. When I
was younger and even sometimes now I feel that I
live in a bubble which will one day burst. I don’t
feel belong to white Americans. My sisters who are
younger than me can cope better.
Interviewer: Tell me about your feelings about 9/11
Turyalai: When 9/11 happened, I was not surprised and I
was not hurt by it, because these kinds of incidents
happen all the time in other parts of the world. My
response was that this is what American
government does to the rest of the world all the
time. This country is built on the blood of other
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
3
people. So to be surprised by it shows your level of
blindness. If you would have opened your eyes you
would have seen it coming. But most Americans
decided not to ask and not to understand why this
was happening and instead they decided to
retaliate. I am saying this as an American and not
as an Afghan or an anti American person. Because
I can see what, not American people, but their
leaders are doing to America and the rest of the
world. If Bin Laden did it why they attacked
countries that they can not defend themselves. The
media made people believe that Afghanistan had to
be attacked. It was an easy target and now we see
the same thing in Iraq. They start wars and leave,
there are many other examples, where America has
done a half way job and keep people in darkness. I
see a huge amount of ignorance. I don’t see a good
future for this country. I really want to leave this
country.
Interviewer: Where will you go to live?
Turyalai: Good question. I like to go back to Afghanistan and
help to rebuild it. I have not been there and I may
change my mind if I go to Afghanistan. But I don’t
like it here; I don’t belong here because they don’t
accept me. They see me as another non-white
American. This country is so divided. As an Afghan
and Muslim they see me as a threat and enemy. I
was looking in the internet and I found that 45% of
Americans are in favour of taking our civil liberty
away. I feel that if another incidence happens they
will put all Muslims in the concentration camps. So
I see this country as a land of opportunity for a
certain kind of people and not all Americans. I feel
that globalisation is changing the face of the earth.
Interviewer: Is globalisation a good thing or a bad thing?
Turyalai: It is a good thing, because the economic
globalisation will open the way for revolution and
class struggle. If America keeps attacking Muslims
and the poor people and class revolution does not
happen, the revolution will be a Muslim revolution
and religious war. This is because we have all the
money in this country. Osama Bin Laden which I
don’t agree with is, in the eyes of many, someone
who gave up money and fame and is fighting on
the side of ordinary people. But Americans don’t
see any of these. My parents are also buying some
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
4
of the American propaganda. They also want me to
study, get a good job, marry and have children. But
I want something more meaningful in my life.
Interviewer: Do many young Afghan men think like you or are
you in a minority?
Turyalai: I am in a minority; most Afghan young men are
into American dream, nice cars. May be I would
have been like them, but because of the things
which happened in my life, I feel different. Most of
them are so engaged about making money that
they don’t have the time to think about what goes
on around them. But what is happening around me
is of great importance to me. I love this country,
but there is something important is missing. I feel
that we are not human beings, we are human
doings. I think as a Muslim, praying five times a
day is a good thing, because we stop five times a
day to think and not just run around making money
and not having the time to think about other
important things in life.
Interviewer: Is there a Muslim community in Los Angeles?
Turyalai: Yes, I think that Islam can unify us. The problem is
that we see each other as the Other and different
from each other, as Afghans, Iranians, Arabs,
Turks, Egyptians etc….. We have different
mosques. There is a lot of figure pointing amongst
us. But the enemy sees us all as Muslims. So we
should unite as Muslims and defend each other
against the common enemy. I also don’t see myself
as a good Muslim and I need to do a lot of work
myself. We have to take responsibility for our
actions.
Interviewer: What about African American community
Turyalai: Yes, I sometimes feel I belong to them, in fact I
feel that I was brought up in that community. They
are also divided, in the same way as Afghan
community is divided. I love the Muslim and Afghan
cultures. I love Persian literature. I love the idea of
being kind to your kind. I hate hypocrisy.
When I was in jail, there was a lot of hostility
towards Muslims, even by African Americans. I
don’t feel that I am a good Muslim, because I drink
alcohol and have a girl friend. But I feel that my
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
5
Muslimness is strength for me and I suffer when
there is hostility towards me. Most of my friends
are African Americans, some Afghans and some
Iranians. We have a group and we produce anti war
RAP music on CD.
Recently I have been reading Jalaloddin Rumi,
about Islamic culture and how it values quality of
life unlike Western culture which is all about

Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
2
was less nationalism and traditionalism in our
household in comparison with my Afghan friends
and the extended family. When I decided to be
American suddenly my parents, especially my
father, panicked and started saying that we are
Afghans. I was 14 at the time. So they did not
allow me to do things that my American friends did.
I could not understand why white Americans were
dismissive of us and racist towards us, although we
were as rich as them. I felt alienated, I turned to
drugs, and I got into trouble with my parents and
left home.
Afghans are very proud people, expecting their
sons to follow their fathers. I was not doing that.
Therefore, I was isolated from the family. My father
never stepped back allowing me to grow up from
being a child to a man. I could see that my other
friends both Afghans and Americans doing that in
their own different ways. But not my father. I
therefore, felt that if this is being Afghan I don’t
want to be Afghan.
I believe that the well being of people are secured
in young age, I feel that I had many difficulties.
Even, now that I have come back to my parents
and we are in good terms with each other, I don’t
like this beautiful house and neighbourhood. I don’t
belong here. Even now I feel that when push comes
to shove, I am out of here.
Interviewer: Tell me about where you lived when you left home?
Turyalai: From the age of 14 I lived on and off in St.
Fernando Valley, where the majority is non-white
Americans. I have many friends there; I belong
there with them not here with my family. When I
was younger and even sometimes now I feel that I
live in a bubble which will one day burst. I don’t
feel belong to white Americans. My sisters who are
younger than me can cope better.
Interviewer: Tell me about your feelings about 9/11
Turyalai: When 9/11 happened, I was not surprised and I
was not hurt by it, because these kinds of incidents
happen all the time in other parts of the world. My
response was that this is what American
government does to the rest of the world all the
time. This country is built on the blood of other
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
3
people. So to be surprised by it shows your level of
blindness. If you would have opened your eyes you
would have seen it coming. But most Americans
decided not to ask and not to understand why this
was happening and instead they decided to
retaliate. I am saying this as an American and not
as an Afghan or an anti American person. Because
I can see what, not American people, but their
leaders are doing to America and the rest of the
world. If Bin Laden did it why they attacked
countries that they can not defend themselves. The
media made people believe that Afghanistan had to
be attacked. It was an easy target and now we see
the same thing in Iraq. They start wars and leave,
there are many other examples, where America has
done a half way job and keep people in darkness. I
see a huge amount of ignorance. I don’t see a good
future for this country. I really want to leave this
country.
Interviewer: Where will you go to live?
Turyalai: Good question. I like to go back to Afghanistan and
help to rebuild it. I have not been there and I may
change my mind if I go to Afghanistan. But I don’t
like it here; I don’t belong here because they don’t
accept me. They see me as another non-white
American. This country is so divided. As an Afghan
and Muslim they see me as a threat and enemy. I
was looking in the internet and I found that 45% of
Americans are in favour of taking our civil liberty
away. I feel that if another incidence happens they
will put all Muslims in the concentration camps. So
I see this country as a land of opportunity for a
certain kind of people and not all Americans. I feel
that globalisation is changing the face of the earth.
Interviewer: Is globalisation a good thing or a bad thing?
Turyalai: It is a good thing, because the economic
globalisation will open the way for revolution and
class struggle. If America keeps attacking Muslims
and the poor people and class revolution does not
happen, the revolution will be a Muslim revolution
and religious war. This is because we have all the
money in this country. Osama Bin Laden which I
don’t agree with is, in the eyes of many, someone
who gave up money and fame and is fighting on
the side of ordinary people. But Americans don’t
see any of these. My parents are also buying some
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
4
of the American propaganda. They also want me to
study, get a good job, marry and have children. But
I want something more meaningful in my life.
Interviewer: Do many young Afghan men think like you or are
you in a minority?
Turyalai: I am in a minority; most Afghan young men are
into American dream, nice cars. May be I would
have been like them, but because of the things
which happened in my life, I feel different. Most of
them are so engaged about making money that
they don’t have the time to think about what goes
on around them. But what is happening around me
is of great importance to me. I love this country,
but there is something important is missing. I feel
that we are not human beings, we are human
doings. I think as a Muslim, praying five times a
day is a good thing, because we stop five times a
day to think and not just run around making money
and not having the time to think about other
important things in life.
Interviewer: Is there a Muslim community in Los Angeles?
Turyalai: Yes, I think that Islam can unify us. The problem is
that we see each other as the Other and different
from each other, as Afghans, Iranians, Arabs,
Turks, Egyptians etc….. We have different
mosques. There is a lot of figure pointing amongst
us. But the enemy sees us all as Muslims. So we
should unite as Muslims and defend each other
against the common enemy. I also don’t see myself
as a good Muslim and I need to do a lot of work
myself. We have to take responsibility for our
actions.
Interviewer: What about African American community
Turyalai: Yes, I sometimes feel I belong to them, in fact I
feel that I was brought up in that community. They
are also divided, in the same way as Afghan
community is divided. I love the Muslim and Afghan
cultures. I love Persian literature. I love the idea of
being kind to your kind. I hate hypocrisy.
When I was in jail, there was a lot of hostility
towards Muslims, even by African Americans. I
don’t feel that I am a good Muslim, because I drink
alcohol and have a girl friend. But I feel that my
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int057; USA
5
Muslimness is strength for me and I suffer when
there is hostility towards me. Most of my friends
are African Americans, some Afghans and some
Iranians. We have a group and we produce anti war
RAP music on CD.
Recently I have been reading Jalaloddin Rumi,
about Islamic culture and how it values quality of
life unlike Western culture which is all about

Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int058; USA05
2
Malalai: My parents don’t force me to pray, but if I have a
boyfriend I am not allowed to talk about him or
bring him home. They also trust me. My mother is
more open-minded than my father. My brother has
a girl friend but he does not talk about it.
Interviewer: Do you have white American friends?
Malalai: I have American friends but they are not white. I
had a few when I was younger. I always was
outspoken so nobody ever dared to tease me. I
always said that I am proud for where I come from
and I defended my culture. Since 9/11 things have
been difficult. My university is a liberal institution
but even there, sometimes someone says let us go
and bomb them all. In this situation I don’t
comment because they are ignorant. I feel that if
they are ignorant let them remain ignorant. It is
like our president he is just a total ignorant, no-one
is able to convince him of anything. I am not anti-
American. I do understand that in Afghanistan and
those parts of the world there are also very
ignorant people. This is not an excuse that Bush
goes and drops bomb in my country.
Interviewer: Where do you belong?
Malalai: Sometimes I feel Afghanistan is my country,
especially when I am with my family and Afghan
friends. When I am with my American friends, I feel
that America is my country. But I know that none
of them alone is my country. They are both my
country.
When 9/11 happened, I felt that Afghanistan was
the weakest country that is why they attacked it.
They are really after resources not Bin Laden.
Otherwise they would have bombed Saudi Arabia: I
feel that I would like to help Afghanistan by
educating myself. Some Afghans think that Bush is
bad; but they may be doing some good things in
Afghanistan. I feel that he really is a bad man and
will attack everywhere so we cannot sacrifice other
countries for the sake of Afghanistan.
I don’t think I want to go and live in Afghanistan
now, but I like to help. There are things that I don’t
like about Afghanistan like wearing the chaddari.
But I like to be able to help.
Name of project: SN 6065 – Afghan Women’s Resistance and Struggle in
Afghanistan and Diasporic Communities, 2004-2005
Depositor: Rostami-Povey, E.
ID: 6065int058; USA05
3
Interviewer: Do you believe that there are ignorant Afghan
people as well?
Malalai: Yes, there are stupid and ignorant people in
Afghanistan as well as in America. I don’t think I
am big enough to go and change people. I feel I
can help by being a good Afghan American and a
good Muslim, this way I can help. I feel that I am
all three of them Afghan, American, Muslim. For me
religion is a personal thing it is between me and my
God. I don’t think when I die and go to heaven the
God will open his calendar to see how many times I
prayed. I am studying hard and I believe I can help
Afghanistan. I want to use the good education
system here and make a lot of money and go and

Source Background: This article comes from US News and World Report which
is an American news magazine published from Washington D.C. The magazine
is now only available online. US News and World Report is considered to be
politically positioned on the centre-right.
Text: This article was released on April 7th, 2008
The Colors of Islam
I was not tempted to fit in with American kids
By Saif ur Rahman Qargha
Born in Afghanistan in 1971, Qargha, 33, was a boy when soldiers from the invading Soviet Army
broke into the family home and abducted his father and five uncles. He never saw them again. After
fleeing to Pakistan, Qargha, his mother, and two brothers came to the United States in 1986 as
political refugees. He is now a transportation engineer for Prince William County, Va.
Before we came to the United States, we were concerned about preserving our identity. We felt that
America was a good place. You didn’t feel like somebody was watching you, like the feeling we had
in Afghanistan during the Russian occupation. But at the same time, America is spiritually devoid.
People were concerned mostly about image.
I was not tempted to fit in with American kids. By the age of 15 or 16, I was fully grounded in Islam. I
was on the soccer team so I got to know a lot of people, but I didn’t socialize with them. Drinking
and other things did not attract me. When you have an Islamic worldview, and you want to protect
it, especially as a young man, it’s very difficult. In Islam, the idea of dating as we know it here doesn’t
exist. There is no playing around. When you’re ready, you can meet people for the sake of marriage.
My uncle, Sibghatullah Mojaddedi, is a political and spiritual leader in Afghanistan who declared
jihad against the Russians. He helped me put things in perspective, and that is why I am grateful to
him. The fact that they were fighting, but they did not hate the Russians, they just hated what they
did, that is an Islamic worldview. It is a misconception that jihad means holy war. It can have a
martial aspect to it, but it has other aspects, like a struggle with yourself, your ego.
I saw the events of 9/11 on the news, when I was taking my aunt to social services. The first thing we
said was, “Oh God, please don’t let this be a Muslim.” It was a shock to anybody who had a heart,
who had any humanity. But to know it was a Muslim was a bigger shock. It had a big impact on the
Muslim community. When you went to the store, you were eyed with suspicion. We felt like the
blacks of the 1960s, especially women, who are displaying their religion by covering their hair. We
didn’t have to defend the terrorists; we had to defend ourselves.
As a result, there was the Patriot Act and the FBI coming to people’s houses. They came to my office
because I’m involved in the community and asked me questions. Some were ridiculous: “Do you
know anybody interested in weapons of mass destruction?” Islam does not teach you to kill yourself
or take innocent life. There is no justification for that in Islam. What happened has to do with people
who are frustrated with the foreign policy of the United States. But America did change for Muslims
after that. A lot of people were intimidated.
But it also showed the beauty of America. In the days after 9/11 we had cards and flowers and
candles from neighbors and other people just to let us know that we still had friends and that they
didn’t think we were like the terrorists. It was very consoling, a beautiful gesture.
America is a good land. I got to meet the Islamic world in America. In Afghanistan, there were only
Afghan Muslims. Here, there are Egyptians, Moroccans, black Africans. I saw all these colors and
creations. This is God’s land, and God chose me to be on this land, so I desire good for America. On a
more practical level, I wish that nothing changes our freedom here. Let America be America the way
it was intended.
-As told to Bret Schulte
(found at http://www.usnews.com/news/religion/articles/2008/04/07/the-colors-of-islam –

From an analysis of the interview transcripts and text, answer the research question: ‘How might the experience of exile affect a sense of identity?

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