Operational Culture Awareness Training - Afghanistan

Additional Resources

Center for Language, Regional Expertise and Culture Training Products (video clip segments from the following trainings:)

Introduction to Islam
A day in the Life of a Muslim
ISLAM Frequently Asked Questions

External Resource and Reference Material

Documents

Marine Corps Institute Handbook: Afghanistan
Pashto Command & Control Card
Dari Command & Control Card
U.S. Navy Operational Cultural Awareness Training - Afghanistan
U.S. Army Afghanistan Country Study Training Course
Dari & Pashto Language Survival Kits, Center for Language, Regional Expertise and Culture

Books

Ali, Sharifah Enayat. Afghanistan. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. 2006.
Ericksen, Thomas Hylland. Small places, large issues: An introduction to social and cultural anthropology. London: Pluto Press. 2001.
Lippman, Thomas. Understanding Islam. New York: Plume Books. 2002.
Morrison, Terri and Conway, Wayne A. Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: The Bestselling Guide to Doing Business in More Than 60 Countries. Massachusetts: Adams Media. 2006.
Nydell, Margaret K. Understanding Arabs - A Guide for Modern Times. Boston: Intercultural Press.2006.
Mortensen, Greg and Relin, David. Three Cups of Tea. New York: Penguin Books. 2006.
Rashid, Ahmed. Taliban. New London: Yale University Press. 2001.
Seirsand, Asne. The Bookseller of Kabul. New York: Back Bay Book. 2003.

Video Clips (published on YouTube.com; in order of appearance - location of audio clip in parenthesis)

The Hazara, Canadian Broadcasting Company, October 28, 2008 (Peoples and Ethnic Groups: Inter-ethnic Relations)
Pashtunwali Code, from: The Beast of War, directed by Kevin Reynolds, 1988 (People and Ethnic Groups: Pashtunwali Code Part 1)
Air Force Teaching Construction Techniques, American Forces Network, June 18, 2008 (Society and Norms: Construction)
Afghanistan Poverty, Al Jazeera, January 20, 2009 (Society and Norms: Wealth and Poverty)
The Hazara, Canadian Broadcasting Company, October 28, 2008 (Society and Norms: Class Differences)
School Construction, American Forces Network, November 15, 2007 (Society and Norms: Literacy)
Improving Rural Health Care, American Forces Network, September 17, 2007 (Society and Norms: Health Care System)
Opium Addiction, Al Jazeera, May 23, 2009 (Society and Norms - Medicinal and Healing Practices: Opium Addiction)
Kidnapping, Al Jazeera, December 8, 2008 (Society and Norms - Crime, Vice and Trafficking in Persons: Kidnapping)
Poppy Production, Journeyman Pictures, July 13, 2007 (Society and Norms - Crime, Vice and Trafficking in Persons: Opium Production)
Buzkashi Game, Trans Worls Sports, June 1, 2008 (Society and Norms - Recreation: Buzkashi)
Kite Running, Al Jazeera, May 14, 2007 (Society and Norms - Recreation: Other Sports)

Soldier ViewPoints Audio Clips (in order of appearance - location of audio clip in parenthesis)

Friendliness of the Afghan People (Peoples and Ethnic Groups – Introduction)
Understanding Tribal Relationships (Peoples and Ethnic Groups – Kinship And Tribal Societies: Tribal Loyalty)
Afghan Tribal Grudges (Peoples and Ethnic Groups – Kinship And Tribal Societies: Tribal Loyalty)
Understanding the Islamic Faith (Religious Influences – Introduction)
Prayer Time (Religious Influences – Descriptions of Core Beliefs, Rites and Rituals: Pillars of Islam, 2nd Pillar)
Mosques (Religious Influences – Descriptions of Core Beliefs, Rites and Rituals: Mosque Etiquette)
Madrasahs (Religious Influences – Tolerance and Inter-faith Relations)
Weapons Fire During Celebrations (Society and norms – Family and Family Life: Marriage)
The Importance of Shaking Hands (Behaviors and Etiquette – Introductions, Meeting and Greeting: Part 1)
Afghans' Concept of Time (Behaviors and Etiquette – Official and Business Meetings: Part 1)
Gaining the Trust of Afghans (Behaviors and Etiquette – Official and Business Meetings: Part 2)
Sitting with a Village Elders (Behaviors and Etiquette – Conversational Etiquette)

Web Resources (Links available as of publication date)

Afghan Network.net (http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/buzkashi.html)
Afghanistan Online (http://www.afghan-web.com/)
Afghanstation.com (http://www.afghanstation.com/currency.htm) Currency of Afghanistan
Asia Times Online (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/EI16Df01.html)
CATO Institute (http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3448)
CIA World Factbook: Afghanistan (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/af.html)
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/11/afghanistan-kabul)
Harvard Law School (http://www.law.harvard.edu/programs/ilsp/research/kakar.pdf)
IRIN Radio UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (http://www.irinnews.org/RadioCountry.aspx?Country=AFG)
Islamic Calendar (http://webexhibits.org/calendars/calendar-islamic.html)
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Official Website (http://www.af/)
Lunarsolar Calendar (http://pburch.net/lunarcal.html)
Omniglot: Writing systems and Languages of the World (http://www.omniglot.com/writing/)
Pashto.org (http://www.pashto.org/)
United Nations Public Administration Network (http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/UNPAN015879.pdf )
U.S. Department of State Background Notes: Afghanistan(http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5380.htm")
USAID - US Agency for International Development (http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia_near_east/afghanistan/)
Watan Afghanistan (http://www.afghanan.net/index.php)
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghanistan)
YouTube.com, various Afghanistan videos (http://YouTube.com/Afghanistan)