Migration and Social Change in Middle Eastern Countries

Abstract

Over the last several decades, migration has been a cause of demographic, economic and cultural changes in the Middle East countries. The migration of labor, influx of refugees in the war-torn regions, and intra-regional migration have transformed the economic systems, social conventions, family setups, labor and political environments in the region. The given research article focuses on the multifaceted relationships between migration and social change in the Middle East through an analysis of the causes, trends, and effects of migration such as labor migration to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, refugee displacement, remittances, diasporic cultural change, and policy reaction. Based on the results of empirical literature, regional data, and other scientific works, the study indicates the contribution of migration towards social change and also exudes issues pertaining to integration, rights, inequality, and cultural adjustment. The results are indicative that migration is a cause and effects of socio-economic change in the Middle East and present policy guidelines on how to cope with its effects.