Assuming Reintegration, Experiencing Dislocation – Returns from Europe to Afghanistan

Bibliographic Data

ID9953515
AuthorsNassim Majidi (0000-0001-7066-0045, Samuel Hall Kabul, corresponding author)
Year2020
Volume59
Issue2
Pages186-201
Publication date2020-11-06
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Migration (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-7985 • E-ISSN: 1468-2435
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/imig.12786
OpenAlexW3101326828
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited16

Decisions on the return of Afghans from Europe are often based on the perceived support that communities of return and social networks can provide. This assumption shapes court decisions over asylum cases and is factored in assistance packages upon return. It is assumed that social networks will act as a “safety net” for returnee . However, recent evidence on post‐return outcomes shows that migrants’ social networks may not provide them with the resources they need to reintegrate their country of origin. While the role of social networks in destination contexts has been extensively studied, this article shows that social networks may not act as facilitators of reintegration, but as barriers to this process. Taking the case study of returns from Europe to Afghanistan, the article concludes on the weak ties and broken bond between individual returnees and communities, further speaking of a process of community dislocation upon return. Policy and practice need to unpack the concept of “community of return” as a community may simply not exist, have changed or be unable to act as a source of support for returnees from Europe

Business · Demographic economics · Development economics · Dislocation · Economics · Interpersonal ties · Political science · Process (computing · Sociology · Computer Science · Migration and Labor Dynamics · Migration, Health and Trauma · Migration, Refugees, and Integration · Psychology · Social Psychology

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