Documentary & Discussion: The War to Be Her

In one of the most dangerous places on earth, where the Taliban maintains a substantial presence, a young woman faces obstacles to pursue a simple passion: sports. Born and raised in Pakistan’s mountainous tribal region of Waziristan, Maria Toorpakai is the country’s top female squash player. Yet she has had to hide her talents from the Taliban, which is strongly — and violently — opposed to women in sports.

The screening will be followed by a facilitated discussion led by Zainab Alam, who is pursuing her PhD in political science at Rutgers University. She also teaches in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies. Her research is focused on the digitally-enabled political participation of women and minorities in South Asia.