Kite Runner Research - Mrs. Schmidt

As you do background research for The Kite Runner, here are some reliable resources:

Background Notes: Afghanistan - US State Department; includes much information on the Taliban.

National Geographic - Afghanistan: Background, facts, history, etc. Scroll down a little to find a feature article titled "Hazaras : Afghanistan's Outsiders."

Afghanistan Unveiled: A PBS site focusing on women in Afghanistan.

Univ. of Texas Map Collection - Afghanistan : A large collection of political, historical, and thematic maps of Afghanistan.

Country Studies : Afghanistan: A very detailed site about Afghanistan, with sections on historical eras and aspects of Afghan culture, such as ethnic groups (Pashtun, Hazara).


The War on Terrorism: Afghanistan and the Taliban: Superb collection of links to Taliban information and relationship with Afghanistan from East Carolina University.


Afghanistan and the U.S. : Selected Internet Resources - Comprehensive group of resources compiled by the UC Berkeley Libraries.

American Institute of Afghanistan Studies: Very current information, articles, etc. from a private non-profit organization.

Kite Flying in Afghanistan : Fascinating group of links to the sport of kite fighting in Afghanistan compiled by the English department at Miami Dade College as background information for The Kite Runner.

A Good Read : The Kite Runner : Excellent resources for reading The Kite Runner including  (on the left hand side) links to current events, history, social aspects, etc. of Afghanistan.  Also includes a biography of author Khaled Hosseini, foreign terms, characters, literary allusions, and discussion questions about The Kite Runner.