The Hazaras of Afghanistan: A study of ethnic relations

This thesis deals with the emergence of the modern state of Afghanistan and the consequences of centralization of power, as well as the creation of a national myth, for the Hazara people, one of the country's most significant minorities.;The Hazaras, who inhabit the central highlands of Afghanistan and constitute around 20% of the national population, have not only been marginalized economically and socially, but have also been denied a place in the history of the country. The thesis investigates their history over the last century and charts their struggles in the light of the last two decades of upheaval in Afghanistan, arguing that accommodation and compromise with the ethnic minorities is essential to building a modern, post-T&dotbelow;aliban Afghanistan.