Should we negotiate with the people we have sent our troops to fight against? Where would a Taliban victory leave the women of Afghanistan? Is there any way out of this quagmire? Scottish journalist James Fergusson joins Ida Lichter, author of ‘Muslim Women Reformers’, and journalist and Amnesty International Pakistan researcher Mustafa Qadri to discuss the options with James Brown.
James Fergusson (International)
James Fergusson is a freelance journalist and foreign correspondent who has written for many publications including ‘The Independent’, ‘The Times’, ‘The Daily Telegraph’, ‘The Daily Mail’ and ‘The Economist’. His book, ‘The Vitamin Murders: Who Killed Healthy Eating in Britain?’, was shortlisted for the André Simon Award for gastronomic literature. His latest book, ‘Taliban’, is the definitive history of the religious movement which became the world's most feared fighting force. He is married with two daughters and a son and lives in Edinburgh.
Mustafa Qadri is Amnesty International’s Pakistan researcher. Born and raised in Sydney, Mustafa is an independent journalist who lived in Pakistan for three years until 2011 where he reported on terrorism, human rights and politics. He writes regularly for ‘The Guardian’ and ‘The Australian’ and is frequently featured on Radio National Australia. mustafaqadri.net
Ida Lichter is an Australian psychiatrist and writer who spent many years in the UK researching Muslim women dissidents struggling to achieve equality after centuries of oppression. She has contributed to programs for ABC Radio National, written for ‘The Australian’ and ‘The Huffington Post’ and was featured in ‘The Diplomat’. The American Library Association acclaimed ‘Muslim Women Reformers’ as “an excellent and orderly resource for researching international women’s studies”. The book has become an essential text in American universities.
James Brown (Australian)
James Brown served as an officer in the Australian Army prior to joining the Lowy Institute's International Security Program as a military associate. He commanded a cavalry troop in Iraq, served with Special Forces in Afghanistan, and received a commendation for his work in the Solomon Islands. James studied economics at the University of Sydney and completed postgraduate studies in strategy at the University of New South Wales.
Sydney Writers' Festival is Australia’s largest annual literary celebration. The Festival returns 14-20 May 2012, with School Days 2012 running from 21-25 May.
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