Mega-Asia Research Project Outcomes: Articles

​This article explores the identities of Afghan refugees residing in

Tajikistan through oral interviews, shedding light on their lived

experiences in a transit country. For many Afghan refugees, Tajikistan

serves as a temporary stop on their journey to Canada, their ultimate

destination. Unlike their lives in Afghanistan, however, Afghan refugee

women in Tajikistan actively participated in economic activities to sustain

themselves during this transitional period. These women were not merely

passive victims of conflict but demonstrated agency by pursuing careers,

managing their own lives, envisioning a brighter future, and, for the first

time, engaging in recreational activities such as volleyball and soccer.

Furthermore, the study highlights the refugees' expressions of antipathy

toward the Taliban, known for its advocacy of Islamic fundamentalism,

and the change of their religious identities as a strategic adaptation to

facilitate their journey to Canada. These shifts underscore the dynamic

and context-dependent nature of their identities during the transit.

By examining the transformations in gender roles and religious identities

among Afghan refugees in Tajikistan, this study reveals a more nuanced

understanding of refugees—not merely as passive subjects of displacement

but as active agents striving for better futures.

In this regard, the research contributes to a broader understanding of

refugee and migrant mobility by moving beyond simplistic analyses that

focus solely on departure and destination points or the factors driving

outflows and inflows. By delving into the lived experiences of refugees in

transit through detailed oral narratives, this study provides a richer, more

multifaceted perspective on the complexities of refugee mobility.