On January 18th, the Global Islamic Studies Center (GISC) wrapped up the three-part Afghanistan Series. The third and final installment of the series focused on Women in Afghanistan, and hosted activist and afghan rapper, Sonita Alizadeh, as well as Cara Cruickshank for a conversation on women in Afghanistan.

This three-part Afghanistan Series began in September 2021, when GISC hosted the event “Flowers, Love and the Landscape of Violence: Queering War in Afghanistan” by Dr. Ahmad Qais Munhazim, assistant professor of Global Studies at Thomas Jefferson University. If you missed the event, you can watch the recording here.

In November, GISC hosted “Why The US Lost the War In Afghanistan” with award-winning journalist and author, Anand Gopal. Anand shared his insights on the history of the US war in Afghanistan, why the US lost, what it tells us about the war on terror, and what the future might look like in Afghanistan.

To close off the series, GISC brought in Afghan rapper and activist, Sonita Alizadeh, to talk about her advocacy for women’s rights and ending child marriage. You can watch a recording of the event here.

As a part of the series, GISC is hosting free screenings on demand of the documentary, Sonita by Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami. The film is available now on-demand, but views are limited to 60 views total—catch it while you can! Below is more information on the free screening:

SONITA tells the inspiring story of Sonita Alizadeh, an 18-year-old Afghan refugee in Iran, who dreams of becoming a big-name rapper. This documentary is a two-time Sundance Film Festival award winner. Watch Now: bit.ly/WatchSONITA | PW: sonita56342

A Note from Sonita and Cara:

Sonita has been working on her project “Arezo.” Each month, Arezo helps two working and impoverished children in Herat, Afghanistan by providing a small stipend to purchase basic necessities, school supplies, as well as a special wish. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the children. You can find out more on how to support her efforts here.

For more information on Sonita's work, you can check out her website, Instagram, and Twitter.

Cara has been raising funds to support Sonita's family, who have been targeted by the Taliban due to her public activism for Afghan women and girls. If you'd like to support Sonita's family, click here.

For more information on Cara's work, check out her website and her Instagram here. Here is a teaser for Cara's show “The Alchemy of Imperfection 2019.”

This Afghanistan Series was hosted by the Global Islamic Studies Center and cosponsored by the Center for Middle Eastern & North African Studies, Arab and Muslim American Studies, American Culture, the Center for South Asian Studies, the Digital Islamic Studies Curriculum, the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, the Department Communication & Media, Women and Gender Studies, and Middle East Studies. This event was made possible thanks to Women Make Movies.

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Upcoming Events From GISC:

Muslim Women in the Digital Age: Podcasting, Music, and Illustration with Misha Euceph, Emmen Ahmed, and Ain’t Afraid
How do Muslim women experience the online world, and what role does the internet plays in their creative work? How do race and religion intersect in Muslim digital communities? Join the us at 2:30pm EST on February 18, 2022, as podcast host and producer Misha Euceph, illustrator Emmen Ahmed, and musicians and twin sisters Sakinah (Straingth) and Zakiyyah (WiZdumb) of the Muslim hip hop duo Ain’t Afraid, discuss their digital lives. RSVP: Bit.ly/MuslimWomenDigital