Afghan Couples: A study of shifting gender and identity

Nawa’s senior college thesis has become an e-book by popular demand. In her fourth and final year at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass., Nawa had to do a thesis that would keep her engaged for an entire year. She chose to investigate the gender and identity gap among Afghan-Americans, researching the growing separation and divorce rate among new couples. She traveled to the largest Afghan communities in the United States — California, Virginia and New York — to pry into the lives of 17 couples. Five years later, nearly half of the couples had separated. She continues to receive feedback and emails regarding this e-book.

Study of Shifting Gender and Identity
Originally published in spring 1996
Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts
Reprinted by Aftaabzad Publications, spring 2001
Download (PDF format, 340k)

“Nearly 30 years later, I still get emails and questions from Afghans, sociologists, gender activists about my senior thesis. It was a passion project that people wanted to read because it was a hot topic and there was little academic research about Afghans in the U.S. back then.” Fariba Nawa