Communication Disruption Resulting from Geographical Barriers in the Formation of National Identity in 20 th Century Afghanistan
Communication Disruption Resulting from Geographical Barriers in the Formation of National Identity in 20 th Century Afghanistan

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the geographical barriers within Afghanistan’s territory that have disrupted communication networks and, consequently, challenged the process of national identity formation as one of the key contributing factors. The data relevant to this study have been drawn from primary sources as well as secondary library-based sources, and the historical-analytical method has been employed for data analysis. The central question of this article is: How has the presence of major mountain ranges across the country affected the process of national identity formation? The aim of this research is to identify and analyze the consequences of Afghanistan’s mountainous structure for patterns of communication and interethnic cultural exchange in the country. The results indicate that natural geographical barriers have directly limited cultural interaction among ethnic groups and have contributed to the weakening of interethnic familiarity, regional isolation, and the strengthening of local attachments. Furthermore, the findings of this study explain how the Hindu Kush and other mountainous structures have divided the country into separate zones and have affected the formation and functioning of government, social interaction, and national cohesion. The significance and distinctiveness of this research, compared with previous studies in this field, lies in its examination of the crisis of national identity in contemporary Afghanistan beyond political rivalry or ethnic diversity (by situating it within the relationship between natural geography, communication, and cultural interaction).

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