Topic > The Sociological Complexities of the Taliban - 536

Because of the ethnocentrism of American culture and ideas, the tribal group known as the Taliban may seem like a sociological disgrace to law-abiding citizens of the United States. The Taliban are made up of Pakistanis and Afghans who are said to be the “Holy Warriors of Allah” and strictly adhere to a set of standards set by the Prophet Muhammad himself. They are considered one of the most radical groups that exist in the world today and are considered dishonorable and even scary by less radical Muslims. However, the reality is that the group has its own culture, sociological structure, and interactions that are simply different from those in the United States. The Taliban society is almost the polar opposite of that of the United States. The group believes that women have few or no rights and believes that their holy book, the Koran, provides an explanation for women's role as virtually sexual objects in their society. Their political leaders were not elected to their positions, but took them by force. It operates fifteen courts in southern Afghanistan in...