The new migration in the Middle East: a problem for whom?

This paper is part of a research project undertaken within the context of the Technology Adaptation Program at MIT and is allowed to appear in the Migration and Development Series as a courtesy of the Technology Adaptation Program. Popular views of t h e Middle East tend t o c o n c e n t r a t e on t h e c u l t u r a l homogeneity of t h e Arab s t a t e s , t h e i r c o n f l i c t with I s r a e l , and t h e d i s p u t e over petroleum p r i c e s. Yet i n r e c e n t y e a r s a new i s s u e has emerged t h a t o t h e r Arab s t a t e s and t h e i r importance t o development p r o g r a m and p l a n s f o r s o c i a l change. The volume of t h i s migration and i t s consequences f o r r e g i o n a l p o l i t i c s a r e only dimly f o r e s e e n. Indeed, t h e very magnitude of t h a t movement i s i t s e l f i n q u e s t i o n , given t h e p a u c i t y of recorded d a t a , The purpose of t h i s paper is t o d e s c r i b e r e c e n t t r e n d s i n m i g r a t i o n throughout t h e Middle East, i d e n t i f y t h e major i m p l i c a t i o n s of t h i s movement , and i s o l a t e c r i t i c a l p o l i c y i s s u e s f o …