Drawing a Long Shadow: Analyzing Spatial Segregation of Afghan Immigrants in Tehran

Although recent dramatic political changes in Afghanistan have brought that country to global attention, migration from Afghanistan to Iran has a long history. Nearly three quarters of Afghan immigrants in Iran are located in cities, particularly in Tehran’s metropolitan area. However, despite the long-term presence of Afghan immigrants in Iran, research on patterns and drivers of spatial segregation of immigrants has been very limited. The research method involves a secondary analysis of census data. Therefore, this article utilizes 2006 Iran census tract data to examine patterns of spatial segregation of Afghan immigrants in the Tehran metropolis. The required data for two-group segregation indices, Getis–Ord statistics, and Geographically Weighted Regression, were analyzed as a map using ArcMap and Geo-Segregation Analyzer. The results reveal that the spatial segregation of Afghans is high and that most live in lower-SES census tracts. Multivariable analyses indicate that the extent of segregation can be explained by education, job class, and generation status. It can be concluded that generational transition and access to human capital have reduced various indicators of spatial segregation of Afghan immigrants in Tehran.