Effects of irregular migration, migrant smuggling and human trafficking in South Asia on Türkiye: The case of Afghanistan

Migration is an important part of the world history. The increase in human mobility as a result of the events experienced in the 20th and 21st Centuries, and the fact that states are facing serious challenges necessitates the multidimensional evaluation of the migration phenomenon. This thesis takes up one of these dimensions of migration, namely irregular migration, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking. The region under scrutiny is South Asia. South Asia is a dynamic region in terms of migration due to many factors. Afghanistan, also located in the region, is a country that needs to be examined in detail since almost all factors that cause displacement have long existed. Türkiye, on the other hand, is considered as a country of transit, origin, and destination, depending on the change and development it has undergone in recent years. Within the scope of the thesis, first of all, the concepts and major theories of migration were explained. Then, the concepts of irregular migration, migrant smuggling and human trafficking are discussed from the perspective of migrants and other actors, such as facilitators and perpetrators. Finally, irregular migration dynamics of the South Asian region, with a special emphasis on Afghanistan, and its effects on Türkiye are analyzed and examined in the light of secondary literature and with the contribution of face-to-face interviews conducted with irregular migrants.