Integration of Afghan Migrants in Iran’s Urban Areas: A Case Study of Tehran’s Harandi Neighborhood

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 MA graduate, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Due to persistent turmoil in their native country, a large number of Afghan migrants have found new homes in various parts of Iran. Several cities, including Tehran, have become important areas of Afghan residence. This article probes the housing, socioeconomic, cultural, and legal circumstances of Afghans in the Harandi neighborhood of Tehran. It also investigates host community attitudes to Afghan residents and the impact of service providers on the lives of the migrants. Field work was carried out through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions conducted with NGOs, various migrant groups, Iranian residents, and local officials as well as observation and review of the available documents. Findings are indicative of a certain degree of integration observed among Afghan migrants. Furthermore, a particular structure of employment has been shaping among them in association with the neighborhood’s opportunities and especially its informal economy. Afghan presence in the neighborhood has been largely sustained due to these opportunities, services provided by NGOs, and relatively low housing costs as well as the generally positive attitude of other residents toward migrants. Yet, an inadequate sense of responsibility toward Afghans is discernible in urban management, with negative implications for the formulation of necessary service frameworks.

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