Medico-legal borders and the shaping of health services for Afghans in Iran: physical, social, bureaucratic, and public health conditions of care. (2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bisaillon, Laura; Gooshki, Ehsan Shamsi; Briskman, Linda
• Is Part Of: International journal of migration and border studies. Volume 2:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 40
• Page End: 58
• Publication Date: 2016
• Subjects: Afghans -- Afgan migrants -- Iran -- anthropology of health -- applied ethics -- critical studies -- feminist ethics -- Islamic duties -- Islamic responsibilities -- materialist inquiry -- medico-legal borderlands -- migration -- political economy of health -- health politics -- healthcare politics -- sociology of health -- public health services -- physical care -- social care -- bureaucracy -- care conditions -- social conditions -- prejudicial treatment -- clinical settings -- immigration -- Islam; Emigration and immigration -- Periodicals; Border security -- Periodicals; 304.805
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-2419

Abstract

We report findings from an interdisciplinary scoping exercise carried out in Tehran and Qom, Iran, in August 2014. Our analysis is organised within the four themes of physical, social, bureaucratic, and public health conditions of care, and this work connects with and contributes to what is known about the social conditions of Afghans in Iran. Through this exploratory exercise, we aimed to generate new understandings about issues facing Afghans in healthcare settings in Iran from their perspectives and those of other actors in Iran. This project emerged from concerns about prejudicial treatment of Afghans in clinical settings. We argue and illustrate that an ethics of care approach provides a conceptually and contextually relevant way to develop understandings about and to transform contexts of care. We conclude by anticipating next steps in our research process by building on insights and knowledge produced through this scoping exercise and the tentative analysis that it proffered.