Oral Histories of U.S. Diplomacy in Afghanistan, 2001–2024
The special project aims to collect oral histories of diplomats and other officials who served in Afghanistan or were otherwise involved with U.S.-Afghanistan policies from 2001–2021, including the 2021 Kabul evacuation.
Oral Histories of U.S. Diplomacy in Afghanistan, 2001–2024
Supported by the Una Chapman Cox Foundation
Oral Histories of U.S. Diplomacy in Afghanistan, 2001–2021
Sponsored by The Rockefeller Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York
United States Institute of Peace
In addition to its regular oral history program, ADST has collaborated closely with the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) on several special oral history projects pertaining to contemporary events.
Dayton Accords
In recognition of the 30th anniversary of the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords (DPA), the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST) is recording, transcribing, and sharing new oral histories with U.S. and foreign officials involved in the 1995 negotiations and subsequent DPA implementation. ADST will combine these interviews with excerpts from oral histories already in its own archive and accounts from the State Department’s 1990s Dayton History Project to create a web-based DPA oral history anthology that will serve as an educational resource for those examining the complexities of peace negotiations or searching for approaches to addressing today’s conflicts.
Phase I
Coming Soon: January to August 2025
Focus on organizing existing DPA materials from the ADST and State Department archives and capturing new oral history interviews. ADST will collect a portion of its DPA interviews during the NATO PA in Dayton, OH. This phase will culminate in a subject-specific reader, published on the ADST and Library of Congress websites, consisting of all existing and new oral history accounts on DPA.
Phase II
Coming Soon: August to November 2025
Will synthesize these DPA materials into an interactive web page anthology, 30th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords: The Art of the (Im)Possible, that offers a comprehensive historical narrative of DPA negotiations, implementation, and “lessons learned” through the lens of those who lived it by including excerpts from the oral history collection.
Phase III
Coming Soon: September to December 2025
Will revolve around the educational events ADST is organizing with our various national and international partners. These in person and virtual events will discusws DPA negotiations and peace implementation efforts, introduce students to the life of a diplomatic practitioner working on conflict resolutions, and our DPA anthology.
ADST’s Special Collection of AFSA Oral Histories
The American Foreign Service Association, established in 1924, is both professional association and exclusive representative for the U.S. Foreign Service. AFSA’s close to 16,800 members include active-duty and retired members of the Foreign Service at the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and U.S. Agency for Global Media. (Source: AFSA)
AFSA Oral History Collection
With support from the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), ADST conducted several oral histories with AFSA presidents and leadership, especially those who served in the opening decades of the 21st Century, specifically focusing on AFSA and the issues of that time.
AFSA Dissent Series
With support from the Una Chapman Cox Foundation and in collaboration with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), ADST has collected oral histories from winners of AFSA’s Constructive Dissent Awards, recognizing their efforts to work constructively within the system to change policy and performance for the better.