Life between Two Worlds: Social-Cultural Experiences of Forced Migrants in Host Communities and Native Lands

Abstract

Forced migration has become one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges globally, with millions displaced annually due to armed conflict, political instability, terrorism, and environmental crises. Displacement reshapes migrants' social mobility in dual ways: downward mobility through loss of property, livelihood, and social status, and upward mobility through access to new social and economic resources in host communities. This study examines the social experiences of forced migrants within host communities, their emotional, social, and cultural attachment to their native land, and the broader impact of forced migration on social mobility. A quantitative research design was adopted, with primary data collected from 250 respondents using stratified random sampling. Data were analyzed using SPSS, employing cross-tabulation (contingency table) analysis and Chi-square tests to examine relationships between forced migration, social mobility, and related variables. The study was conducted in District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, a region that experienced large-scale internal displacement following military operations and security instability in 2007. Findings indicate that forced migration extends beyond economic survival, significantly shaping social acceptance, experiences of discrimination, access to opportunities, and emotional ties to the homeland. Migrants continuously negotiate between adapting to host communities and preserving strong social and cultural connections to their native areas. These findings underscore the study's central theme, “Life between Two Worlds,” highlighting the multidimensional and often contradictory social realities faced by forced migrants in conflict-affected regions.