Being Afghan in America: In the Field with Morwari Zafar

How does an immigrant become an American? How does anyone join any group? SAPIENS host Esteban Gomez shares the story of Dr. Morwari Zafar, a researcher who has studied the changes in her own community of Afghan-Americans in Fremont, California, in the wake of 9-11. From the first major wave of immigration in the late 1980s and early 1990s, to 9-11 and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, the Afghan-American community has been in flux, exemplifying the mysteries of group identity, dynamics, and nationhood.    Morwari recently completed a PhD in anthropology at Oxford University. Her PhD dissertation is available online: COIN-operated anthropology: Cultural knowledge, American counterinsurgency and the rise of the Afghan diaspora. Zafar is now managing partner at Sentient Group, a consulting company focused on the national security, international development, and private sectors.

This episode of Sapiens was produced by Paul Karolyi, edited by Matthew Simonson, and hosted by Esteban Gómez.

Sapiens producer Arielle Milkman, executive producer Cat Jaffee, and House of Pod intern Lucy Soucek provided additional support.

Fact-checking is by Christine Weeber, illustration is by David Williams, and all music is composed and produced by Matthew Simonson.

More from sapiens.org:

• Trump and the Echo of Amache by Esteban Gómez
• Racism by any Other Name is Still Racism by Esteban Gómez

SAPIENS is part of the American Anthropological Association Podcast Library.