Sociological Cultural Studies

Sociological Cultural Studies

The Lived Experience of Afghan Women Students in Iran (Case study: Universities in Tehran and Qom)

Document Type : .

Authors
somayeh Arab khorasani 1
Hamid Sajadi 2
nahid moayed hekmat 3
Maryam sadat Hashemi Fesharaki 4
1 Assistant Professor of Sociology, Department of Family and Women's Studies. Religions and Denominations University, Qom, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of political Sociology, Department of Social Studies, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate professor of Sociology, Department of Social Studies, Institute of Humanities and Cultural Studies, Tehran, Iran
4 Ph.D. Candidate of Women's Studies, Department of Family and Women's Studies. Religions and Denominations University, Qom, Iran. mhfesharaki@yahoo.com
10.30465/scs.2024.28235.2663
Abstract
Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of Afghan female students attending universities in Tehran and Qom, Iran, with a focus on their social, cultural, and academic encounters. Utilizing a phenomenological approach and narrative methods, including observations and interviews, the research investigates the experiences of 30 Afghan female graduate students selected through theoretical sampling. Analysis of the narratives derived from these interviews, documented using text analysis methods, suggests that the students' experiences are characterized by more attractions than repulsions. The study highlights the central theme of "sense of security" that emerged from participants' narratives, underscoring its importance for identity expression, opportunities for change, and their presence within the Iranian higher education system.
Keywords
lived experience
Afghan female students
sense of security
higher education
Phenomenology

Subjects