Cultural transformation and social sustainability among Pakhtun internally displaced families

Abstract

This study examines the implications of rural-to-urban migration for social, cultural, and economic sustainability among Pakhtun migrant families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using a qualitative research design, in-depth interviews were conducted with thirty migrant families to explore how migration reshapes family structures, gender relations, and cultural practices in rapidly urbanizing contexts. The findings reveal a transition from joint to nuclear family systems, a decline in traditional patriarchal authority, and evolving gender roles that enhance women’s empowerment and household resilience. These transformations significantly influence social sustainability through changes in family cohesion, decision-making, and inter-generational relationships. Urban migration also affects parenting practices, child socialization, marriage customs, and pardah, generating identity negotiations as families balance cultural preservation with urban adaptation. While cities offer economic opportunities that support economic sustainability, they simultaneously challenge cultural continuity. Framed within sustainable development discourse, the study demonstrates that internal migration both challenges and strengthens pathways toward inclusive and resilient urban futures. By linking family-level change to broader sustainability transitions, the research contributes to understanding migration-driven social transformation in rapidly growing urban regions.