The Socio-Cultural Adaptation of The Afghan Uzbek Diaspora In Turkey: The Case of Ovakent, Hatay

This scholarly article presents a comprehensive study of the socio-cultural adaptation processes of the Uzbek diaspora, which was forced to migrate from Afghanistan to Turkey. The central focus of the research is on the cultural preservation and social integration strategies of Afghan Uzbeks who settled in the village of Ovakent, Hatay Province, in 1982. The main research directions cover: the impact of the 1989 Afghan crisis on migration; mechanisms for receiving ethnic migrants; the history of formation and demographic characteristics; the role of language, customs, and family structures in ethnic identification; and the dynamics of relations with the local community. The scientific novelty of this study lies in its micro-sociological analysis of the adaptation process of Ovakent’s Uzbek community, which is presented for the first time. It identifies the factors that contribute to maintaining the cultural stability of ethnic groups under conditions of forced migration. The article provides essential empirical data for understanding adaptation strategies of ethnic communities within global migration processes.