The Politics of Migration Governance and Lived Realities of Afghan Migrants in the United States

The 2021 U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan led to mass displacement of more than 1.6 million local citizens, many of whom were temporarily resettled in the U.S. The majority of beneficiaries of Afghan migration to the U.S. are men, with very few migration-related protections offered to at-risk women, despite the U.S.’s promise to “fight for the rights and dignities of Afghan women” (First Lady Laura Bush, 2001). Doctoral student in sociology Mehr Mumtaz will investigate how migration experiences differ between Afghan refugees by gender. She will conduct in-depth interviews and participant observation for her study.