Bazaar Politics: Power and Pottery in an Afghan Market Town

Stanford Studies in Middle Eastern and Islamic Societies and Cultures

by Noah Coburn

After the fall of the Taliban, instability reigned across Afghanistan. However, in the small town of Istalif, located a little over an hour north of Kabul and not far from Bagram on the Shomali Plain, local politics remained relatively violence-free. Bazaar Politics examines this seemingly paradoxical situation, exploring how the town's local politics maintained peace despite a long, violent history in a country dealing with a growing insurgency. At the heart of this story are the Istalifi potters, skilled craftsmen trained over generations. With workshops organized around extended families and competition between workshops strong, kinship relations become political and subtle negotiations over power and authority underscore most interactions. Starting from this microcosm, Noah Coburn then investigates power and relationships at various levels, from the potters' families; to the local officials, religious figures, and former warlords; and ultimately to the international community and NGO workers. Offering the first long-term on-the-ground study since the arrival of allied forces in 2001, Noah Coburn introduces readers to daily life in Afghanistan through portraits of local residents and stories of his own experiences. He reveals the ways in which the international community has misunderstood the forces driving local conflict and the insurgency, misunderstandings that have ultimately contributed to the political unrest rather than resolved it. Though on first blush the potters of Istalif may seem far removed from international affairs, it is only through understanding politics, power, and culture on the local level that we can then shed new light on Afghanistan's difficult search for peace.

Genres: Anthropology, Politics

272 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 2011

Reviews

[Anand Gopal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This appears to be the first and only ethnography in post-2001 Afghanistan. Coburn explains why the market town of Istalif has remained at peace, despite a weak state and a variety of powerbrokers arrayed against each other. By using what he calls "masterly inactivity," Istalif's elite jockey to maintain and extend power. Because no one group can effectively outmuscle the other, each has more to gain by avoiding violence. The result is a a tenuous but consistent peace.

While the theoretical explanations can sometimes feel like a stretch (as when he uses Foucault's theory of governmentally, for instance), the book excels in its careful descriptions of daily life and its dissection of power dynamics, which makes Bazaar Politics essential reading if you want to understand contemporary Afghanistan.

[Swilaistan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bazaar Politics was an interesting and refreshing ethnographic account written on the predominantly Tajik town of Istalif and the Istalifi potters. I truly enjoyed his descriptive written style and how his analysis in the meeting over building the south road. What I found problematic was how Noah’s writing reinforced the idea of the “white saviour” the way he discussed the “work” of the NGOs and their “aid”. He completely ignored NGO corruption and how they at times contributed to the chaos in Istalif and other cities. I give this book a 3/5 because the author’s writing style was captive and it was an interesting ethnographic research on the city of Istalif.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtful examination of a community near Kabul, but the conclusion felt rushed.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The market town of Istalif; a small town north of Kabul, famous for it's orchards and pottery, is the setting of this study. The book starts out with setting the scene of the town and throughout the book one gets to know the colorful inhabitants of the town (near the end I smiled whenever the Malik of the pottery quam was up to something) who as individuals must choose and balance wisely their relations to various groups to maintain their position in society. The style of writing was accessible and Noah Coburn maintained a good balance between anecdotes, abstract theory and ethnography all which helped to get across the messages of the book. The messages are; to understand Afghanistan one has to look further than Kabul, the western ideal of the strictly bounded Weberian bureaucratic violence controlling state. An ideal that is less ideal to understand contemporary regions than proclaimed, to acknowledge that local actors matter and are not mere tools for external intervening groups,and that power is a complex and multi-dimension captial crucial for social life.

But what will stick with me the longest, is his concept of masterly inactivity. The political strategy based on a crippling fear of loss of power and the possibility to unleash violent conflict. I a nutshell Coburn points out that in the town of Istalif there are several actors present (the various 'quams', mullah's, commanders, police officers, merchants and government officials) who all have power based on the ability to mobilize supporters whom they need to provide with benefits for their loyalty. However despite that they all would want more power and influence over the town, the uncertainty of the outcome of an open political confrontation prevents head to head conflict in the town a condition supported by most inhabitants of the town for the benefits of status quo outweigh any potential gains brought about by potential chaos of an open power struggle. Coburn spends many pages describing how masterly (hence the name of his concept) the inhabitants use language and subtle symbols to get across their point and indicate a line to cross for others involved (with an unspoken threat if it where crossed). The end result is a town with little to no violence in a country plagued by strife and instability where the cost of peace is a form of stagnation 'for any change such as building a road might upset the balance of power and needs to be curtailed' and maybe considering the conditions of the rest of Afghanistan, that might not be such a big price to pay. But as the author highlights, this balance might change due to changes in Afghanistan as a whole, perhaps one group will become strong and confident enough to openly struggle for more power forcing the rest to defend their political, economic, religious and social capital.

In short, it was a delight to read this book and a must read for anyone involved or interested in matters concerning Afghanistan or a different approach to post conflict zones social interactions and power struggles.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting take on the power dynamics in an Afghan town- and how every decision can affect everyone else. Violence is stemmed because of the repercussions in a small homogenous community- contrast that with other regions where the community is fragmented.

[!Tæmbuŝu]

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