Historians of the late pre-colonial Indian political and military landscape have often pointed to the prevalence of self-interested pragmatism, intrigue and shifting allegiances within it. Against...Show moreHistorians of the late pre-colonial Indian political and military landscape have often pointed to the prevalence of self-interested pragmatism, intrigue and shifting allegiances within it. Against this backdrop, this thesis examines a prominent, yet understudied, military and political player within late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth century India, Amir Khan of Tonk, through the lens of martial honour. This is done through analysis of both his career and memoirs, the Amirnama, in which he is represented as one “whose conduct and character within and without were clear as the spotless sun”. Following the Amirnama’s account of the four main stages of his career, whilst also cross-referencing with other relevant contemporary sources, reveals the complex and manifold relation of theoretical ideals of martial honour with the realities of political and military action within his world. During the early stages of his career, cultivating a reputation for bravery and clemency on the battlefield facilitated his social climbing, enhancing “his fame and rank” and forging valuable alliances. Yet increasingly, a gulf appeared between the rhetoric and reality. Whilst honour could legitimise political action, it also contrasted sharply with the flexibility of allegiance, use of deception and even murder increasingly deployed by Amir Khan to achieve his ambitions and strategic aims. Ultimately, securing his political survival in the face of encroaching British power would necessitate jettisoning a plethora of social obligations to those with whom he was theoretically “honour-bound”. Examining Amir Khan’s self-fashioning in the Amirnama in light of these controversial acts reveals how the gap between the theoreticals of martial honour and the murkier realities of realpolitik pragmatism could be, at least rhetorically, reconciled.Show less
This research paper will focus on the research question: What role does the Afghan Diaspora play in humanitarian assistance within Afghanistan? Afghanistan humanitarian crisis in one of the worst...Show moreThis research paper will focus on the research question: What role does the Afghan Diaspora play in humanitarian assistance within Afghanistan? Afghanistan humanitarian crisis in one of the worst worldwide, with over 90% of the population living on the poverty line. Due to the country's political shift, this research is relevant to understand the current dynamics of Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis. This paper uses a qualitative approach to researching the humanitarian assistance of the Afghan Diaspora due to a lack of funding, time, and the inability to collect primary data. This paper highlights that the Afghan Diaspora has a strong connection to their home country, which is displayed in their actions to fight of the humanitarian crisis. This paper highlights three main ways in which the Diaspora is able to assist, which are remittances, online activism and Afghan led NGOs. The Afghan Diaspora has a significant role in the humanitarian crisis, as remittances made up to 4.1% of the countries GDP. NGOs provided crucial safe places and distributed humanitarian aid, and the Afghan Diaspora forms in the online space a Digital Diaspora which organizes themselves, collect funds and spreads awareness about the humanitarian crisis. However, the Diasporas influence is limited, as the current political leaders in Afghanistan are the Taliban. The Taliban worsen the humanitarian crisis for the whole population to their own benefit, and are unaffected by the Diasporas opinions, or efforts, as they govern the country with their own ideology Thus, the current role of the Afghan Diaspora is mainly to inform and spread awareness, provide humanitarian aid, and organize themselves in NGOs to support their people.Show less
