The social implications of population displacement and resettlement: an overview with a focus on the Arab Middle East

"Recent decades have witnessed a global increase in the collective displacement of populations as a result of natural disasters, wars and development projects. The social implications of displacement, and its corollary process of resettlement, are explored in this article, with a focus on the Arab world....[The author suggests that] an approach which emphasizes the relation between the causes and consequences of displacement, examines cases in their historical contexts, and selects the appropriate unit of analysis is essential in developing an adequate framework of analysis."     

The social implications of population displacement and resettlement in the Middle East. Conference report

The focus was on a conference on population displacement and resettlement in the Middle East and on brief summaries of 8 papers in the first study group and 9 papers in the second study group. The conference was held at the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Yarmouk University in Ibid, Jordan, on February 21-24, 1990, and on July 29-31, 1991. Scholars from diverse disciplines gathered to fill a gap in the literature on displacement in the Middle East and to develop a regional theoretical and comparative framework for the study of population movement. A concluding definition of displacement and/or resettlement was determined. The first study group determined that labor or seasonal migration and displacement were both on a continuum with intersecting characteristics, and not divergent. Research should account for the nature, the forcing agents, the underlying causes, the implications, and the outcome of the displacement. The second study group had a more empirical agenda and included the first study group as discussants. The first study group began with a presentation by Dr. Seteney Shami, which reviewed existing literature, outlined unique characteristics for displacement in the Middle East, and discussed the literature on the Nubians, Palestinians, and Bedouins. Other topics included the official settlement of peasants in Iraq and the impact on women and work, the political and economic roles of class among the Palestinian coastal bourgeoisie and other classes, migratory cycles of the Bedouin and disruption by the oil exploration, and historical displacement in Turkey. The second study group focused on migration to the Khartoum area in Sudan among nine unplanned settlements, the two-stage displacement of low-income households from rent-controlled buildings in Cairo and its impact on community structure and employment and social supports, migration from the Suez Canal to Zagazig City in Egypt, displacement due to the Gulf crisis (a case study, the impact on the Jordanian economy, and Kuwaitis in Cairo), displacement in Sudan from war and drought, displacement and health in Beirut and after the Gulf War, and displacement and identity. The policy implications and the lack of research teams were also discussed. A selection of articles has been prepared for publication in one volume by the Institute.     

Filipino workers in the Middle East: social profile and policy implications

The characteristics of international labor migrants from the Philippines are examined. "Based on an analysis of a sample of 495 Middle East workers and 1983 worker placements, this paper presents a profile of Filipino workers in the Middle East with reference to such variables as occupation, gender, age and work experience, civil status, education, Philippine residence, household size and number of dependents." (summary in FRE, SPA)     

中东剧变对变革中阿拉伯国家经济的影响

中东剧变给阿拉伯国家带来民主、自由的同时,也对其经济造成了巨大冲击,使其各经济领域不同程度受到影响。本文通过分析中东剧变产生的经济原因,剖析其对变革中阿拉伯国家经济的影响,认为中东剧变对其经济的影响是灾难性的。在经历革命最初的兴奋之后,这些国家或多或少,或长或短承受着变革所带来的阵痛——政局动荡对经济的负面影响,这是不可避免要付出的代价。然而,有危机就有转机,故应抓住契机谋求发展。     

中东阿拉伯国家金融自由化探析

金融全球化是经济全球化的核心,而金融自由化则是金融全球化的重要组成部分。20世纪七十年代以来全球开始了以放松金融管制为主要内容的金融自由化进程。中东阿拉伯国家的金融自由化是其宏观经济改革战略的一部分,它力图通过自由化、现代化、提高透明度以及加强风险监管来提高金融中介效率。中东金融改革是一种渐进式的改革,包括货币政策改革、银行体系自由化和开放资本市场。中东金融体系已经成为世界金融体系的一部分,但在金融效率、深度和竞争力方面与发达国家和新兴国家相比还有很大的差距。     

Developing a measure of contentment in an Arab Muslim country: implications for cross-cultural research in social work

This is one in a series of papers that report on a programme of research focusing on the psychosocial consequences of Kuwaitis in the wake of the 1990 invasion and occupation by Iraq. The research team chose to focus on contentment as the obverse of trauma effects and develop a new measure that more closely represents Kuwait society due to cultural sensitivity. The paper briefly discusses the programme of research and the need for a new measure of Kuwaiti contentment. The Kuwaiti Raha Scale (KRS), was developed to serve as the primary dependent variable for a post-war national survey of mental health in Kuwait. The KRS emerged from a multi-method approach first administered to a convenience sample of 560 undergraduate university students enrolled in eight different classes. The results reported here note that no differences were found according to the variable of gender, as was expected. Four factors emerged, with Cronbach's Alphas ranging from 0.850 to 0.709 after eliminating three items. The total twenty-eight-item KRS measure yielded a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.906. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that the four subscales are a psychometrically sound measure of contentment, and would be useful in studies of Arabic-speaking cultures by social workers, and other investigators, concerned about culture-based well-being. Implications for European social professions are discussed.     

中东剧变与中国中东政策

中东动荡历时一年多,导致该地区多国政权更迭,并迅速扩展到叙利亚,叙危机已成为这场动荡旋涡的中心.伊斯兰势力的崛起成为这些转型国家面临的严峻课题.动荡使中东地区格局面临新的调整,地区大国间矛盾和力量消长,将影响有关国家政局和热点问题走向.美国调整中东政策,深刻影响了地区局势走向.中国坚持“不干涉内政”原则,尊重有关国家人民自主选择的原则立场,得到国际社会理解和肯定.中东形势演变对中国中东外交带来重要机遇和严峻挑战,中国应审时度势,积极应对,谋求中国与中东国家关系的新发展.     

Refugee resettlement,social media and the social organization of difference

Social media platforms allow refugees separated by distance to share information, provide support and exchange resources across borders. This connection has the potential to transform resettlement experiences as people maintain significant and ongoing relationships with transnational networks. Yet, since refugee resettlement programmes generally only scale up to the national imagination, integration remains a normative framework in most policy spheres. This article presents a 12‐month digital ethnography of 15 refugees settled in New Zealand with a view to examining their transnational practices of social media and its influence on integration and belonging. Drawing on a conceptual framework based on the social organization of difference, it contains a discussion on how online global networks increasingly inform the domains of encounters, representations and configurations. The role of social media for refugee resettlement futures and its implications for integration at times of rapid political, technological and social change concludes the article.     

Migrant workers: a passage from India to the Middle East. Demographic and social-psychological implications and policy consideration

The author first gives an overview of labor emigration from India since the nineteenth century, noting particularly the trends in Indian migration to Middle Eastern and North African countries. The demand for expatriate labor in West Asia for the years 1985-1990 is projected, and consideration is given to differential labor migration according to skill category. Focusing on Indian emigrants currently working in the Gulf States, the author discusses conceptual problems in examining international migration as well as the social-psychological consequences and the societal impact of migration.     

Beyond the stereotypical implications of terrorism: a sociological investigation of Arab immigrants

Post 11 September 2001, terrorism has emerged as the defining stereotype of Arab immigrants. As a result, the study of Arab immigrants has become susceptible to stereotypes because in an era of unprecedented diversity sociological investigation has neglected spirituality. Among the various Arab populations spirituality is fundamental. Subsequently any investigation of Arab immigrants is impossible without acknowledgement of a spiritual dimension in the form of Islam. Moving beyond the stereotypical implications of terrorism will require Western sovereignties to be more informed about the Arab culture. Otherwise, their lack of effort will destine the uninformed to the stereotypical implications of terrorism that will not be limited to Arab immigrants but extend to other populations as well.     

The impact of the 2nd intifada on Israeli Arab and Jewish social workers

This paper presents an analysis of interviews with Israeli social workers conducted as part of a study investigating the impact of the 2nd Intifada on the work, clients, views and feelings of Israeli Arab and Jewish social workers. The data were generated from 58 interviews with social workers who volunteered to do so. Coming from a sociological perspective, the study focused on how a violent political conflict impacts on two groups of social workers who live and work in the same society, but are likely to have different views about it. Their actions, views, well-being, and values were researched in a context likely to test universal social work values. The findings document a high level of tension and anxiety generated for both groups, very negative impact on clients’ life and views, largely negative effect on welfare services, co-existing with continuous professional development. Social workers’ views of their own national group and the other national group within the Intifada context highlight primarily the empathy with one's own group while lacking in empathy towards the other group, coupled with suspicion and some hostility. The struggle to maintain professional values is expressed only by a minority. The discussion and conclusions look at what social work can learn from the findings in understanding such complex contexts and the response to the challenge they pose to social work.     

Where everybody knows your name: the role of social capital in resettlement after an employee relocation

This exploratory research investigates the process of adaptation that follows the intra-national migration of families moved for a professional employee's job. The research suggests the existence of ‘relocation enclaves’ or areas of residence that are densely populated by relocated families. Qualitative interviews with wives relocated for their husband's jobs reveal the importance of building social capital to rebuild families' lives and the positive role that relocation enclaves can play in offering that social capital. Additionally, findings suggest that, contrary to Putnam's proposition that an influx of relocated families into a community would contribute to the erosion of community connections, relocated women are highly active in their new communities and they invest time and inject new ideas into local schools and organizations.     

中东剧变与中东军火贸易的发展

本文从剖析中东地区军火贸易的产生及发展入手,重点分析了2010年以来中东变局对地区军火贸易的发展格局、商品结构、供需市场等多方面产生的影响。由此得出结论:在中东变局的影响下,该地区极有可能掀起军备升级狂潮、再攀军火贸易高峰。从一定程度上看,军火贸易是军备竞赛的"晴雨表",中东地区军火贸易的不断扩大反映了地区军备竞赛的升级加剧,会导致地区安全形势恶化、经济发展延缓、恐怖主义活动猖獗,将对阿拉伯—伊斯兰地区稳定和可持续发展造成极大冲击,中东地区的军备控制依然任重而道远。     

Patterns of evolutions of social enterprises in France: a focus on work integration social enterprises

The objective of this paper is to characterize the patterns of emergence and evolution of social enterprise in France with a focus on work integration social enterprises (WISEs). After a review of the history of social and solidarity economy practices, identifying the processes that brought these practices to develop, we discuss the boundaries of the notion of social enterprise in the French case. We then briefly present the historical evolution of work integration. On that basis, two models of social enterprise applied to the case of work integration are extracted, crystallizing crucial tendencies. The limits and prospects of social enterprise in the field of work integration in France are discussed in the conclusion.     

Social security in the Middle East: a brief review

The countries of the Middle East all have traditional social insurance type social security programs. The move towards defined contribution individual accounts that is occurring in some regions has not affected this region The social security programs in the Middle East are not facing the problems of financing found in Europe and North America, in part because they still have relatively high fertility rates and are thus little affected by population aging. They tend to have low retirement ages and some of the wealthy countries of the region provide very generous benefits. Many of them need to consider reforms that raise retirement ages. A characteristic of many of the social security old-age benefit programs of the region is that they exclude foreign workers, who in some countries account for more than half the workforce.