The Religious Life of Afghan Migrants Before and After Migration: Protecting Their Religious Identity or Social Cohesion

Abstract

The study aims to examine the religious lives of Afghan migrants before and after migration, their religious socialization in Türkiye, the problems they face in their religious lives, and to reveal how they evaluate religious life in Türkiye. For this purpose, the Evrenseki, Çolaklı, Yavrudoğan, Gündoğdu, and Taşağıl neighborhoods of Antalya were chosen as the area for research. The study group of sixteen men and five women was formed using the snowball sampling method on Afghan migrants living in these neighborhoods and working in agricultural activities, cold storage, greenhouse cultivation, etc. The data obtained through the in-depth interview technique was analyzed using content analysis. The MAXQDA program was used for the systematic coding of the data. As a result of the coding, the article examines the subject through four themes: the pre-migration religious life of Afghans, the post-migration religious life of Afghans, the religious socialization practices of Afghan migrants, and religious life in Türkiye as seen through the eyes of Afghan migrants. Also, it discusses whether Afghan migrants are developing behaviors to protect their religious personalities or foster social integration and cohesion. As a result, it concludes that Afghan migrants have strong religious identities but generally develop integration and cohesion behavior.