ISLAM, MIGRATION, AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF KOHISTANI MIGRANTS IN DIR LOWER

Authors

  • Adnan Khan Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
  • Saeed Akhtar International Postdoctoral Fellow, IRI, Islamabad, and Lecturer, Department of Islamic Studies and Religious Affairs, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
  • Ibrahim Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
  • Hamid Alam Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
  • Mohammad Hussain* Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Abstract

This paper is an ethnographic account of a less-researched community in Dir lower – the Kohistanis. The paper, using ethnographic tools, finds that the Kohistanis have migrated to Dir lower for multiple reasons, the leading one being enmities. They are engaged in various professions, primarily as daily wage laborers and woodcutters. A new trend of seeking government jobs in Pakistan and migrating to the Gulf is being observed. The migration has significant implications for the way they understand and practice Islam, culture, and how their language is fast diminishing and is being replaced by Pashto.

Keywords: Islam, Migration, Cultural Identity, Dir Lower, Kohistanis

 

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Published

2025-03-25

How to Cite

Adnan Khan, Saeed Akhtar, Ibrahim, Hamid Alam, & Mohammad Hussain*. (2025). ISLAM, MIGRATION, AND CULTURAL IDENTITY: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF KOHISTANI MIGRANTS IN DIR LOWER. `, 3(01), 1722–1728. Retrieved from https://assajournal.com/index.php/36/article/view/284

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 01 (2025): Advance Social Science Archive Journal

Section

Articles