Abstract
The main aim of this research has been to sociologically examine the role of tourism in promoting social convergence in Afghanistan. The study is practical in terms of its goals and expected outcomes, resorting to a survey method with a descriptive-explanatory approach. The research population consists of social media users and a sample size of 384 individuals has been selected by having a Morgan’s table as a basis, adhering to two criteria: a) participants must have taken a minimum of two tourism trips; and b) be at least 18 years old. Both accessible and random sampling methods were used. Data collection took place through a researcher designed questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were confirmed by means of a Likert scale. The analysis was performed using the software SPSS, version 26. Descriptive findings have revealed that the average scores for social convergence, except for the dimensions of trust and perceived deprivation, were above the midpoint and positive point. Also, variables such as gender, marital status, ethnicity, and number of tourism trips showed a significant relationship with social integration. A positive and significant correlation was found between social integration and its dimensions with tourism. Stepwise regression analysis further indicated the significance of the model, with the variable tourism explaining approximately 19% of the variance in the dependent variable’s dimensions. Overall, the research concludes that tourism can play a vital role in enhancing social cohesion, both directly and indirectly. Therefore, it is key to implement appropriate policies in this area.
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