This is the most recent and comprehensive analysis of the Afghan education system against the backdrop of the social and political terrain, covering all relevant related issues, such as: the status of Afghan women and girls * the rejection of central authority by ethnic-tribal groups * the fundamental contradiction between an externally funded rentier state and state sovereignty * intricacies and limitations of capacity building, including the competition between humanitarian aid agencies and state authorities. The book argues in favor of customized development solutions instead of a centrally driven one-size-fits-all approach and provides reasons why a military "solution" to the current development crisis is all but impossible. (Series: Kulturelle Identitat und politische Selbstbestimmung in der Weltgesellschaft - Vol. 14)