Identity Crisis and Social Navigation in Host Community: an exploratory study of (re)construction, (re)negotiation and (re)contestation of identities of second-generation Afghan refugees living in camps
Keywords:
Identity crisis, re(construction), re(negotiation), (re)contestation, Second generation, Afghan refugeesAbstract
This study aims to explore the identity crisis of second generation of Afghan refugees in camps, and the way they (re)construct, (re)negotiate and (re)contest their identities. It views identity as a social construct, which is dynamic, fluid and evolutionary. This study employs narrative methods to gain access to the lived and embodied experiences of the respondents. Data was collected from twenty-one participants and analyzed through thematic narrative analysis. Findings reveal that the respondents have a shattered identity due to incomplete sense of belongingness, their identity is threatened due to the way ‘muhajir/refugee’ has become an ugly narrative discourse, and the way they avoid and (re)define situations to (re)negotiate their shattered identity. This study contributes to the literature on identity and refugee/migration studies by unfolding the identity challenges faced by the second generation of refugees and the way they manage their identity, despite sharing similar Pashtun culture.
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