This book provides a concise summary of the history of Afghanistan with a clear emphasis on modern and contemporary developments. The author, a specialist in ethnicity and ethnic conflicts in Afghanistan, presents a profound overview of historical and political developments of more than 2000 years of Afghan history. The book includes a short index, a short bibliography, and several maps.

The author begins with the reminder that the public perception of this country is undergoing rapid change. Since the events of 9/11, Afghanistan has become identified with the “dark side of globalization” and the “counter-point of the civilized world” (p. 9), a perception that has to be seen against the backdrop of the idealized Afghanistan of the 1960s and 1970s, when the country was a prime destination for young Western travelers.

The question of statehood in Afghanistan has remained relevant until today. The author discusses the emergence of the Afghan state from the Kingdom of Kabul. Only in the second half of the 19th century did “Afghanistan” come into common usage as the country's name. In contrast to the local historiographical tradition, which dates the beginning of the modern Afghan nation-state to 1747 when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded his empire, Schetter argues that the rule of Abdul Rahman at the end of the 19th century should mark the beginning of the modern Afghan state. At that time, Afghanistan became a territorial state with borders imposed by the colonial powers, Great Britain and Russia. It was, however, only in 1923 that Amanullah received total independence from British India, erected the constitutional monarchy, and legitimized his rule through a constitution.

It seems important to take into consideration five essential features that characterize the country through the 19th and 20th centuries and shape its development to the present. First is the harsh and uninviting geological climate that, hostile to agriculture, hampered the development of a centralized system of rule. Among economic resources, only long-distance trade provided a sufficient source of income. Second is the striking contrast between rural and urban areas that became a dominant fault line of conflict in the 20th century. Whereas larger cities such as Kabul can be considered centers of development and modernization, rural areas largely preserved their traditional sociopolitical structures and patterns. Third is a striking particularism regarding ethnic and religious plurality that exists in Afghan society at large and that is reflected in the identification of the Afghans at the social level of villages, clans, religious communities, and so forth. Fourth, this cultural plurality has persisted through the centuries, has been taken advantage of by military and political leaders, and has functioned as a major impediment to the creation of a centralized state. Fifth, despite all this, Afghanistan is a geopolitically and strategically important area that has always been important in international affairs. It played an important role in the “great game” between the colonial powers, Great Britain and Russia, in the 19th century. In 1979 the Soviet invasion of the country ended the policy of détente between the East and the West, and the retreat of the Soviet army initiated the breakdown of the Soviet Union. Lastly, 9/11 served as a justification for the American superpower to wage a war that swept away the Taliban regime and left Afghanistan in even greater ruin than before. It also posed a challenge to the international community to rebuild the state structure and the rule of law.

Schetter's book covers the history of Afghanistan from the 6th century BC until the present, with emphasis on the modern history starting from the era of the “Great Game” (1823–80) and followed by Afghanistan's development from a tribal area to a nation state (1880–1930). The period between 1930 and 1963 is dealt with in a chapter titled “Between Tradition and Progression.” Afghanistan's “golden age” (1963–78), until the Communist seizure of power in 1978–79 and the resulting conflict, are also described carefully. Special attention is also given to developments after September 2001.

This short book provides a concise but nevertheless informative and clear overview of the political history of the country and ends by discussing prospects for the country's future. According to Schetter, whose analysis appears to have been confirmed by political developments in 2005, political instability will remain a problem. The five features described above still play an important role. Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world with one of the highest rates of illiteracy. The problem of warlordism is not only an impediment to the state's monopoly of power but also the reason for a lack of security throughout the country. The author argues correctly that this situation cannot simply be resolved through the elimination of these warlords, but rather that structures of violence are characteristic of this country and exist independently of particular tribal or political leaders. A further problem lies in the cultural and ethnic heterogeneity of Afghanistan. Ethnically and religiously balanced state institutions and organs have to be created. Lastly, the international community has to prove its determination in rebuilding Afghanistan. If it fails, the author points out at the end, the international war against terror will fail.

The book introduces careful historical data into its political and social analyses of the main factors dominating past and contemporary developments of the country. Very useful in this context is the additional information on topics that could not be dealt with exhaustively, for example, Pashtun tribal society, the parties of resistance in the 1980s and early 1990s, or the later political groups in existence since the 2001 Petersburg Conference. This book is highly recommended to all who wish to have concise information on Afghanistan.