Afghanistan Archives - The Podcast Browser

Anand Gopal – No Good Men Among the Living

Interview with Anand Gopal about his book No Good Men Among the Living. Offers a unique perspective on the US intervention in Afghanistan by profiling individuals, both civilian and Taliban, in Khas Uruzgan. Describes his unconventional approach, living remotely and learning the language, revealed complexities often missed by journalists. Highlights how US troop presence destabilised regions, enabling local warlords to exploit them against rivals, contributing to the Taliban’s resurgence. Exposes how many detainees at Guantanamo Bay were innocent victims of these dynamics. Recounts his journey from science to journalism, driven by a desire to understand the conflict beyond mainstream narratives.

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Malala Yousafzai – Finding My Way

A Memoir

Interview with Malala Yousafzai about her book Finding My Way: A Memoir. Reflects on her journey since her first book and her Nobel Peace Prize win, detailing her coming of age, finding her place in the world, and navigating adult life. Shares honest accounts of academic struggles at Oxford, balancing global activism with personal growth, and the importance of female friendships. Explores themes like love, mental health, and the ongoing fight for girls’ education, emphasising that even celebrated figures face everyday challenges and personal evolution.

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Ahmed Rashid on the Future of the Taliban

New Books in Islamic Studies | 11 October 2022 | 0h 31m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Ahmed Rashid about the updated edition of his book Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia. Discusses the Taliban’s history from its 1990s origins to its 2021 return to power. Explores the Deobandi sect’s influence, how the US’s broken commitments about ending opium production drove the Taliban alliance with Bin Laden, and the role of Pakistani intelligence in their rejuvenation. Concludes that while the international community denies recognition, the Taliban remain entrenched as the war-weary population prioritises stability over further conflict.

Lyse Doucet – The Finest Hotel in Kabul

The Hatchards Podcast | 23 September 2025 | 0h 43m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Lyse Doucet about her book The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People’s History of Afghanistan. Discusses her decades of reporting on Afghanistan from the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, during which she forged lasting connections with both the hotel’s staff and its guests. Reflects on writing, the changing media landscape, and the responsibilities and challenges that come with international journalism. Suggests that Afghanistan is too often seen only through the lens of conflict, and why it is important to recognise the country’s rich cultural heritage alongside its history of war.

Åsne Seierstad: The Afghans

The Book Club | 26 June 2024 | 0h 47m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Åsne Seierstad about her book The Afghans: Three Lives Through War, Love and Revolt. Discusses why she constructed a novelistic narrative about real-life people and events, and what her encounters with human rights activist Jamila, Taliban commander Bashir and thwarted student Ariana can tell us about the past, present and future of that troubled country.

Rory Stewart on Politics, Ambition, and Making a Difference

The Next Big Idea | 21 December 2023 | 1h 05m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Rory Stewart about his book How Not to Be a Politician: A Memoir. Discusses his life and work: running a non-profit in Afghanistan, walking alone across Afghanistan in the months after 9/11, serving as a deputy governor in Iraq, professor at Harvard, his ambitions on being elected to the British Parliament, his reflections on politics, and heading the Give Directly charity.

Matthieu Aikins on Traveling as an Afghan Refugee

The Lawfare Podcast | 25 February 2022 | 0h 37m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
Interview with Matthieu Aikins about his book The Naked Don’t Fear the Water: An Underground Journey with Afghan Refugees. Describes his undercover journey from Afghanistan to Europe with his translator, Omar, who had been denied a special immigrant visa despite having been a translator for coalition forces in Afghanistan. Following his visa denial, Omar decided to flee as a refugee, and Matthieu decided to join him on the journey.

Dr Waheed Arian

Full Disclosure with James O’Brien | 28 June 2021 | 0h 58m | Listen Later
Interview with Waheed Arian about his book In the Wars: A Doctor’s Story of Conflict, Survival and Saving Lives. Describes the arc of his life, from growing up in Afghanistan, fleeing at age 15, arriving in Britain on a false passport, being imprisoned in a young offender institution, to becoming a Cambridge qualified doctor supplying war-torn countries with medical help.

If you like this, try The Journey of Munjed Al Muderis from Refugee to World Leading Surgeon.