Constitutive Features of Deliberate Language Shift: A Case Study of Afghan Immigrants as a Community of Practice

The study is aimed to determine the constitutive features of deliberate language shift by Afghan immigrants in Chakwal (Punjab, Pakistan). The researchers selected 10 business practitioners living for at least 10 years in the Punjabi community. The semi-structured interviews and non-participants observations were conducted for data collection. The researchers used "Community of Practice" (CofP) as a theoretical framework. CofP Model has three elements that helped the researchers determine the constitutive features of language shift by Afghan immigrants. The researchers found out that the regional displacement left the Afghan immigrants with the least liberty to exercise their language in all the fields of life because the local stakeholders were not conversant with Afghan's language. As a result, they started borrowing words from Punjabi and Urdu languages. The study's findings reflect that the influence of these languages permanently substituted their native language vocabulary with that of Panjabi and Urdu. The researchers noticed that linguistic adaptations are tactically intentional and need-based and not accidental. The market competition is the driving force towards their deliberate language shift. This language shift is determined through practitioners' attitudes and communication attempts to generate more significant revenue and make better fits in the community of practice.

“Pandemi Mevcut Sorunları Derinleştirdi” : İstanbul’da Kayıtdışı Afgan Göçmenler, Sağlık, Hastalık ve Kovid-19 Pandemisi

2020 yılında ortaya çıkan Kovid-19 pandemisi, dünyanın uzun salgın hastalıklar tarihinde yeni bir safhaya geçmesine yol açmıştır. Kovid-19 pandemisi, tarihteki diğer salgınlar gibi dezavantajlı olan grupların yaşamlarını daha olumsuz etkilemiştir. Bu makale, İstanbul’daki refakatsiz Afgan göçmen çocuklar ve kayıtdışı yetişkin Afgan göçmenlerin pandemi sürecinde daha fazla zorlaşan hayatları üzerine bir tartışma yürütmektedir. Makaleye kaynaklık eden veri İstanbul’da bulunan refakatsiz Afgan göçmen çocuklar ve kayıtdışı yetişkin erkek Afgan göçmenler üzerine beş yıldır (2015’ten 2020’e kadar) yürütülen boylamsal bir niteliksel araştırmaya dayanmaktadır. Makale, pandemi başlamadan önce de bu grubun hayati sağlık sorunlarıyla başa çıkmaya çalıştığını, göç sürecine ilişkin üç aşamayı ele alarak ortaya koymaktadır. Afganistan’daki sağlık sisteminin yetersizlikleri ve göç yolculuğunda ortaya çıkan yaralanmalar göçmenler için önemli sağlık sorunlarına yol açmaktadır. İstanbul’da özellikle ağır çalışma koşullarından kaynaklanan sağlık sorunları ve sağlık hizmetlerine erişimlerinin olmaması göçmenler için ölümcül sağlık sorunları yaratmaktadır. Kovid-19 pandemisi, Afgan göçmenlere yönelik sömürüyü, toplumsal eşitsizlikleri ve toplumsal dışlanmayı derinleştiren bir etki yaratmıştır. ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH “Pandemic Transformed the Existing Problems”: Undocumented Afghan Immigrants in Istanbul, Health, Disease and Kovid-19 Pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic, which emerged in 2020, opened a new phase in the world’s long history of the epidemics. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected the lives of disadvantaged groups more negatively than other outbreaks in history. This article discusses the unaccompanied Afghan migrant minors and undocumented adult male Afghan migrants in Istanbul, whose lives have become more problematic during the days of pandemic. The source of the article is based on a longitudinal qualitative study on unaccompanied Afghan migrant minors and undocumented adult male Afghan migrants in Istanbul for five years (from 2015 to 2020). This article argues that before the start of the pandemic, this group has long tried to deal with vital health issues by addressing three stages of migration process. The inadequacies of the health system in Afghanistan and the injuries that occur during the migration journey cause important health problems for migrants. Health problems and lack of access to health services, especially from heavy working conditions in Istanbul, create fatal health problems for migrants. The Covid-19 pandemic has created an effect that deepens labour exploitation, social inequalities and social exclusion of Afghan migrants.

Why Turkey? Afghans heartwarming migrating destination

In the latest year, Turkey is the destination country for illegal Afghan migrants, as Directorate general of migration management of Turkey report shows that Afghanistan has a high number of the illegal migrants in Turkey in 2019. (7) This study concentrated to determine the factors associated with the area of destination (pulling factors), social demography of immigrants, income comparison, satisfaction, and re-integration of Afghan illegal migrants in Turkey in the last five years. The data collected by a well-structured questionnaire and applied to 384 illegal Afghan immigrants in Turkey (Istanbul, & Ankara) during June, 2019. The finding shows that Security 9.14, rights (women rights 8.52, human rights 8.43) and desire of having more regular life are the main reasons that attracts migrants. Dis-satisfaction of being in Turkey and being dis-agree to re-integrate back to Afghanistan is the finding of this research.

The challenges of providing primary health care to Afghan immigrants in Tehran: a key global human right issue

Purpose This study aims to explore the challenges of providing primary health care (PHC) to Afghan immigrants in Tehran as an important global human right issue. Design/methodology/approach In this exploratory study, a total of 25 purposively selected PHC providers, including physicians, psychologists and midwives, were approached for face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, lasting 30 min on average. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings The most common challenges of providing PHC to Afghan immigrants were categorized at individual, organizational and societal levels. Communication barriers and socioeconomic features emerged at the individual level. The organizational challenges included mainly the lack of insurance coverage for all immigrants and the lack of a screening system upon the immigrants’ arrival from the borders. At the societal level, the negative attitudes toward Afghan immigrants were causing a problematic challenge. Research limitations/implications The main limitation was the possibility that only health-care professionals with particular positive or negative perspectives about immigrants enter into the study, because of the voluntary nature of participation. Practical implications Findings can help policymakers adopt evidence-informed strategies for facilitating PHC provision and improving the access to health care in immigrants as a global human right concern. Social implications This study alerts about undesirable consequences of certain attitudes and behaviors of the society toward immigrant health. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies conducted in PHC centers in Tehran Province that explores the challenges of providing PHC to Afghan immigrants.

The Remigration of Afghan Immigrants from Russia

Russia is one of the world’s largest migrant-receiving countries. The recession of recent years, changes in labor market and immigration policies, and an increase in anti-foreign sentiment have directly affected immigrants’ lives in Russia. This has been reflected not only in how immigrants find employment and housing in the country but also in how they perceive Russia as a country in which to work and live. This article analyzes remigration as a coping strategy of Afghan immigrants in Russia. These immigrants face severe everyday difficulties as irregular migrants and suffer discrimination and uncertainty. Despite their low status and vulnerability, we argue that Afghan immigrants still have agency, evident in how they interpret and live in the Russian anti-immigrant atmosphere. The article is based on stories narrated by Afghan immigrants in Russia and a qualitative content analysis of the asylum application protocols of Afghan asylum seekers in Finland that was produced by the Finnish Border Guard, Police, and the Finnish Immigration Service. A total of 632 Afghan citizens applied for asylum after entering Finland from the Russian Federation along the “Arctic route” between 2015 and 2016.

The Effect of Face-to-face Sex Education on the Sexual Function of Adolescent Female Afghan Immigrants

Background: Access to precise information about sexual behaviors is an essential need for a favorable marital life. In the context of Afghan society culture, unawareness about sex issues in offspring on the verge of marriage could lead to an undesirable sexual function. The present study aimed to determine the effect of face-to-face sex education on the sexual function of adolescent female Afghan immigrants. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with a Pre-test-Post-test and a control group design. This research was conducted in the immigrant neighborhoods of Mashhad City, east of Iran, in 2018. Two charity centers with the largest numbers of Afghan immigrants were randomly selected as the case and control centers. A continuous sampling technique was applied to select the study participants. Besides, women who met the study inclusion criteria completed a demographic questionnaire and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) before and at 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention. In addition to the center’s routine programs, the experimental group received face-to-face education through PowerPoint slides, while the control group only received routine training of the center. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: There was no significant difference in the sexual function scores between the two study groups before the intervention (P=0.850), while there was a significant difference between them after 4 (P=0.003) and 8 weeks (P<0.001) of intervention provision. Conclusion: Face-to-face sexual training improved sexual function in adolescent female Afghan migrants; therefore, this training method could be used for sexual education in young female immigrants.