Afghan youth in Toronto : barriers to social inclusion

To identify the barriers to social inclusion that Afghan youth encounter in Toronto, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six Afghan youth—three male and three female participants. The data revealed that participants shared (1) experiences of cultural and religious limitations, (2) language barriers, (3) being subjected to discriminatory attitudes, and (4) family responsibilities. Based on theories of Social Exclusion, Social Inclusion, and Social Identity, it was concluded that Afghan youth currently live as marginalized members of Canadian society where their participation in prominent fields such as education, employment, and recreation are limited.