When originally published in 1984, Revolutions and Rebellions provided the first focused consideration of the Saur Revolution in Afghanistan and the subsequent Soviet invasion and occupation of the country. Read now, within the knowledge that Afghanistan would experience 40 years of sustained war, Revolutions and Rebellions offers an opportunity for fresh insight into the antecedents of this enduring conflict. The works in this collection rely on extensive fieldwork in the years leading up to the Soviet invasion. Specific tribal, ethnic, and gender groups are considered within the context of their region. By exploring the local responses to the notion of jihad outside of Kabul, a clearer understanding of the political culture of Afghanistan can be gained. Revolutions and Rebellions provides an extraordinary opportunity to experience the diversity of the Afghan people on the cusp of irrevocable change, and to understand what they expected then of the years ahead.