Samad, K: Afghan Women, Media and Emerging Democracy

The complex role of media within society, its impact on the development of democracy and relationship to the empowerment of women has yet to be defined, and is one that it difficult to measure by any standard. The issue of gender is a timely and hotly contested subject in Afghanistan, as it is in the recent past of most countries. Whether media help to provide a voice for women is a key point of discussion in this work. Through historical data, literary sources and interviews, the book demonstrates that post-conflict conditions either facilitate or hinder the development of media and the emergence of democracy. Theories of deliberative democracy are investigated, exploring the synergistic intricacies between media and democracy. It will be argued that without the equal participation of men and women in society, Afghanistan‘s emerging democracy will remain weak and vulnerable to both internal and external forces of destruction, impeding the country‘s path to progress. For those working in the fields of policy, gender, human rights and development, this book provides rich insight, thought provoking analysis and careful investigation into a complex and relevant topic of discussion.