Review by Choice Review
Monsutti (Graduate Institute, Geneva), a well-known anthropologist, originally wrote this slim volume, Homo Itinerans, meaning itinerant humans, in French. It is the story of the author's personal journey through his various projects in Afghanistan. Monsutti is well-known in Afghan consulting circles and focuses especially on Afghan refugees and the plight of the Hazara ethnic group in Afghanistan in his research. This book begins with his adventures among the Hazara people in the mountains of central Afghanistan and follows them as they flee to Pakistan, Iran, Greece, northern Europe, Australia, and the US. The author also discusses the fraught issue of whether or not scholars, in this case anthropologists, should work with the agencies operating in Afghanistan, especially military organizations. The book does not pretend to be a scholarly or an anthropological description of Afghan culture and people. Rather, it focuses on the stories of individuals as they face the difficulties of living in war-torn Afghanistan and seeking shelter outside the country. The book is well-written and will interest both experts on Afghanistan and readers interested in people trying to survive difficult situations. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels. --Grant Michael Farr, emeritus, Portland State University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
