Though it is largely forgotten now, the war in Afghanistan played a pivotal role in the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the repercussions of the war continue to be felt in a variety of significant ways, including in the ongoing challenge presented by Osama Bin Ladin, the Saudi industrialist-cum-Islamic activist, who uses Afghanistan as his base of operations for attacking Western interests in the Muslim world. This course examines the historical and cultural background to the war, the events of the war themselves, and the emergence of the Taliban regime following the Soviet withdrawal. Among the issues to be considered are the war and its impact on the Soviet Union, the spread of Islamic radicalism, the relationship between ethnicity and religion, the position of women under the Taliban, and the implications of the collapse of the Afghan nation-state for regional and international political order. In addition to reading about and discussing various aspects of the war, its causes and its aftermath, students will also assist in the development of a DVD on the war that will incorporate extensive video footage shot by Afghan cameramen during the war. Format: seminar/studio. Requirements: response papers, final, and collaboration in the conceptualization, organization and preparation of the Afghan War DVD. Prerequisites: permission of instructor. No Enrollment limit.