University of Isfahan Strategic Research on Social Problems 3041-8623 14 2 2025 06 22 Understanding the Phenomenon of Smuggling from the Perspective of Activists Known as “Shoti” Understanding the Phenomenon of Smuggling from the Perspective of Activists Known as “Shoti” 47 66 29395 10.22108/srspi.2025.142768.2066 FA Ali Feizolahi Assistant professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, Ilam University , Ilam, Iran Zahra Rezaeinasab Associate professor, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran 0000-0002-8766-7523 Shabnam Yari M.A. in Cultural Studies, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Humanities, Ilam University , Ilam, Iran Journal Article 2024 12 28 Introduction Smuggling refers to the clandestine import and export of goods across a country's borders. This illicit activity is often motivated by various factors, such as tax evasion or the desire to bypass laws that prohibit the importation of certain items. As a criminal offense, smuggling presents numerous security challenges and encompasses a range of different types. This article focused on the importation of goods through non-customs entry points and their subsequent distribution in key markets within the country. Due to its illegal and secretive nature, precise figures on the volume and rate of smuggling are elusive. However, studies indicate a consistent increase in the volume of smuggled imported goods in Iran. Over the past decade, economic activities centered on commodity smuggling have emerged as a significant issue in the country. Lorestan Province serves as a pivotal route for the transportation of smuggled goods with smugglers known as Shoti-savar, transporting goods from southern ports to major cities, such as Tehran, Qom, and Isfahan. A substantial portion of those involved in this practice are young individuals from Pol-e-Dokhtar City, which was the focal point of this study. The primary aim of this research was to identify the underlying reasons and contexts that contributed to the emergence and persistence of this phenomenon as seen through the perspectives of these Shoti activists (Shoti-savaran) and to explore its implications for their lives. Materials & Methods The primary objective of this research was to understand the scope of the phenomenon of Shoti from the perspective of key activists in this field. To achieve this, a grounded theory approach was employed. The target population consisted of Shoti activists residing in the city of Pol-e-Dokhtar, Lorestan Province, who possessed at least 3 years of experience in commodity smuggling and were actively engaged in this work at the time of the study. The research sample comprised 14 individuals selected through the snowball sampling method based on the criterion of theoretical saturation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and the analysis was conducted through coding by following the Strauss and Corbin method. This analysis involved coding that led to the identification of 226 concepts, 43 sub-categories, and 15 main categories. To ensure validity, the acceptability criterion was applied, which emphasized the researcher's ongoing engagement with the data, external review, and comparison with existing literature and expert opinions. Discussion of Results & Conclusion The findings of this research revealed several causal conditions influencing engagement in smuggling. Hardship living encompassed financial difficulties, family economic instability, and poverty, which were often compelling reasons for individuals to resort to smuggling. Job insecurity reflected the challenges faced by the unemployed due to rising unemployment rates, stemming from a lack of job opportunities or job loss. Additionally, struggling to make a living signified economic instability and the inability to achieve a minimum standard of well-being, driving individuals toward risky and illegal paths. Background conditions included structuralization of smuggling, which referred to the circumstances that not only pushed individuals into smuggling, but also created opportunities for it. Economic underdevelopment highlighted the economic disparity of the studied region compared to more developed areas of the country. Intervening conditions included a facilitating network, perceived utility of the Shoti lifestyle, and normalization of smuggling. This normalization indicated that the desire to earn a living—despite being viewed as a deviant act—had led smugglers to adopt strategies, such as group organization, lawbreaking, and unequal participation. These actions had resulted in consequences including family disorganization, a precarious existence, and experiences of social exclusion. Overall, this form of economic activism suggested that the livelihoods of a segment of the workforce in the country were linked to petty smuggling. A comprehensive analysis of the research findings indicated that socio-economic factors, governmental institutional incapacity, and a deep-rooted cultural tradition within the community had fostered a perspective that viewed smuggling as an opportunity rather than merely a crime. Introduction Smuggling refers to the clandestine import and export of goods across a country's borders. This illicit activity is often motivated by various factors, such as tax evasion or the desire to bypass laws that prohibit the importation of certain items. As a criminal offense, smuggling presents numerous security challenges and encompasses a range of different types. This article focused on the importation of goods through non-customs entry points and their subsequent distribution in key markets within the country. Due to its illegal and secretive nature, precise figures on the volume and rate of smuggling are elusive. However, studies indicate a consistent increase in the volume of smuggled imported goods in Iran. Over the past decade, economic activities centered on commodity smuggling have emerged as a significant issue in the country. Lorestan Province serves as a pivotal route for the transportation of smuggled goods with smugglers known as Shoti-savar, transporting goods from southern ports to major cities, such as Tehran, Qom, and Isfahan. A substantial portion of those involved in this practice are young individuals from Pol-e-Dokhtar City, which was the focal point of this study. The primary aim of this research was to identify the underlying reasons and contexts that contributed to the emergence and persistence of this phenomenon as seen through the perspectives of these Shoti activists (Shoti-savaran) and to explore its implications for their lives. Materials & Methods The primary objective of this research was to understand the scope of the phenomenon of Shoti from the perspective of key activists in this field. To achieve this, a grounded theory approach was employed. The target population consisted of Shoti activists residing in the city of Pol-e-Dokhtar, Lorestan Province, who possessed at least 3 years of experience in commodity smuggling and were actively engaged in this work at the time of the study. The research sample comprised 14 individuals selected through the snowball sampling method based on the criterion of theoretical saturation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and the analysis was conducted through coding by following the Strauss and Corbin method. This analysis involved coding that led to the identification of 226 concepts, 43 sub-categories, and 15 main categories. To ensure validity, the acceptability criterion was applied, which emphasized the researcher's ongoing engagement with the data, external review, and comparison with existing literature and expert opinions. Discussion of Results & Conclusion The findings of this research revealed several causal conditions influencing engagement in smuggling. Hardship living encompassed financial difficulties, family economic instability, and poverty, which were often compelling reasons for individuals to resort to smuggling. Job insecurity reflected the challenges faced by the unemployed due to rising unemployment rates, stemming from a lack of job opportunities or job loss. Additionally, struggling to make a living signified economic instability and the inability to achieve a minimum standard of well-being, driving individuals toward risky and illegal paths. Background conditions included structuralization of smuggling, which referred to the circumstances that not only pushed individuals into smuggling, but also created opportunities for it. Economic underdevelopment highlighted the economic disparity of the studied region compared to more developed areas of the country. Intervening conditions included a facilitating network, perceived utility of the Shoti lifestyle, and normalization of smuggling. This normalization indicated that the desire to earn a living—despite being viewed as a deviant act—had led smugglers to adopt strategies, such as group organization, lawbreaking, and unequal participation. These actions had resulted in consequences including family disorganization, a precarious existence, and experiences of social exclusion. Overall, this form of economic activism suggested that the livelihoods of a segment of the workforce in the country were linked to petty smuggling. A comprehensive analysis of the research findings indicated that socio-economic factors, governmental institutional incapacity, and a deep-rooted cultural tradition within the community had fostered a perspective that viewed smuggling as an opportunity rather than merely a crime.

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