afghan

In recent decades, tourism has played a significant role in the economies of many countries. One of the crucial elements in tourism is souvenir shopping. However, there is no research exploring Afghan souvenir shopping behavior. In addition, there is no research analysis of legal and illegal shoppers. The main objective of the present study is to identify the factors influencing Afghan immigrants’ selection of souvenirs, as well as to compare and analyze the purchasing behavior of legal and illegal Afghan immigrants. The research method employed in the current study is a qualitative approach with a semi-structured interview technique. Interviews were conducted with 45 individuals, including legal and illegal Afghan immigrants, comprising tourists, traders, students, and workers traveling to Iran. The data were analyzed using the thematic analysis method. According to the research findings, the influential factors on souvenir selection by legal immigrants include: "Tourism-Centric Nature of Souvenirs", "Needs and Expectations", "Diverse Shopping Styles", "Cultural and Ethnic Lenses", "Ethical Considerations", and "Real and Virtual Worlds”. Additionally, the influential factors of souvenir selection by illegal immigrants include: "Economic Conditions", "Purchase Motivation", "Affordability", "Collective Shopping Style", "Cultural and Ethnic Lenses", "Ethical Considerations", and "Real World Influence". Finally, it offers a comparison of purchasing behavior between legal and illegal societies. This study adds to the current body of knowledge by exploring a novel context.

Background: Afghans are the main group of migrants in Iran, and in recent years, their presence has been met with negative reactions from the Iranian public. For example, recently on Twitter, hashtags such as #Expel_Afghans_a_National_Demand (in Persian: # اخراج_افغانی_مطالبه_ملی ) have been widely used by Iranian users. Aims: This study aims to examine Iranian users' perspectives on Afghans by analyzing tweets written with this hashtag about Afghans living in Iran. Methodology: Using thematic analysis, it investigates the negative views expressed by Iranian users. This analysis is based on Bennett’s six-stage model of intercultural sensitivity. The extracted themes from these tweets include five main categories: dissatisfaction with the lifestyle and behaviors of Afghans living in Iran, financial-related dissatisfaction, nationalism-related dissatisfaction, xenophobia-related dissatisfaction, and dissatisfaction due to internal factors. Finding: The dissatisfaction of Iranians toward Afghans aligns with the Defense stage of Bennett’s model, as this stage is characterized by individuals distinguishing between themselves and others, perceiving their own culture as superior, and viewing other cultures as inferior. Conclusion: Based on the themes present in the tweets, it seems that some targeted actions can help reduce xenophobia and counter dominant narratives.