The migration patterns and demographics of the Gulf countries are closely related to global economics and societies but are also interrelated between each other and local, intercultural societies. Regional characteristics play an important role in the make-up of populations, as well as the evolution of individual societies and criteria that are unique to a certain part of the country (Arab migration in a globalized world 78).
Traditional values and beliefs play a significant role in both international and domestic relations. The conservative nature of a social fabric will create limits for expansion and assimilation within a different nation. The oil industry has had a great influence on the Gulf countries and the population itself.
Global issues and reputation influence the way people view each nation, and so globalization, internal affairs, economics, and politics all play an important role. A major focus will be centered on international migration, migration within Gulf countries, and the role of personal attributes like education, family, and cultural views.
Issues and Questions
The three major points of focus will be analyzed to determine the patterns, causes, and effects. The difference between past migrations and demographics will be compared to the modern days and how the changing world and Gulf countries interrelate. As Gulf countries have had a secluded existence, in both their views and ways of life, international migration is much different from the domestic movement of masses. Modernization and evolution of a culture preset circumstances that allow for possibilities and demographic changes.
The first major point of interest is international migration. This is the global movement of the Arab population and the particulars of the surrounding conditions that the people might cause and receive.
What trends are present in the Arab migrations that play a significant role on the international scale with relation to culture and social regulations?
How does the global oil economy affect the views of the Gulf countries towards the economy and world politics and vice versa?
The second point is domestic migration. This is defined as the movement of people within the Gulf countries and changes that such movement causes.
How have globalization and urbanization influenced people’s wants and needs to move around the Gulf?
How has the evolution of the culture shaped the traditions and beliefs of people domestically?
The third point will analyze personal factors. These are defined as individual and communal differences in families, education, and character qualities (Major Trends Affecting Families: A Background Document 207).
How does education and ties to the family influence the amount of labor within a nation?
How has modern culture changed in comparison to the beliefs of forefathers, and are these differences positive or negative?
Scope
The questions concerning international migration will look at countries like Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Syria (International Migration and Development in the Arab Region 5). The domestic countries that will be examined are Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The unique cultural differences of each country will be analyzed, as well as compared to others, to determine specific factors. As the society and government of a nation have a key role in a country, the general values of a large group of people will be compared to those of individuals and communities (Arya 158). Physical features will be mentioned since the environment plays a significant role in migration. Global changes to geographic and climate fluctuation have been an influential determinant of where people settle. The interrelation between physical and moral factors will be compared.
Geography
The available natural resources of an area are one of the determinants. A community bases support on the availability of conditions necessary for life, as well as development. Labor and industry also provide one of the key supporting factors for a society to flourish and evolve. Recent climate changes have not been present in the previous years and have caused people to be more selective of the geographical location (El Azhary 27).
Time
Time, relative to the views of the world, is extremely important. The treatment and views of societies towards incoming migrants would set up an atmosphere for the stay. Time and geography are linked, as geography would often determine the number of times people could stay and work at a certain place. Personal development is also intertwined with time, as people often have no available resources to spend on education, and if an area demands a certain professional specification, they are forced to move to a different area that is not so demanding, thus losing time.
Language
Communication would also play a great role on an international migration scale. People who speak the same language need less time to acclimate and establish connections with others. Education and personal attributes are closely tied to the ability to implement a community in an unfamiliar setting. Labor and support of a social setting rest on effective communication techniques that lead to development and cooperation, especially in different cultural backgrounds (Arya 159).
Method
International, domestic and personal factors are all interconnected and must be considered in order to determine the key elements. Historical literature, as well as modern text, will be analyzed. In order to demonstrate international statistics, as well as domestic, quantitative methods, in the form of charts and percentage statics will be consulted (Adler 314). In the international section, fertility rates in the close-by countries will be examined, as well as educational statistics for adults fifteen years of age and over. Enrollment rates and the amount of education received—in the form of level of literacy, will determine the ability to acquire labor and develop communities.
In a domestic migration analysis, the number of people that left a specific country and the number of people that the receiving country has accepted will be looked at. The employment rates of the Gulf countries will also illustrate the availability of acceptance for domestic migration (Ramady 377).
Works Cited
Adler,Leonore. Migration: Immigration and Emigration in International Perspective. Westport, United States: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003. Print.
Arab Migration In A Globalized World. Geneva, Switzerland: International Org. for Migration, 2004. Print.
Arya, Sadhna. Poverty, Gender and Migration. Thousand Oaks, United States: SAGE, 2006. Print.
El Azhary. The Impact Of Oil Revenues On Arab Gulf Development. New York, United States: Routledge, 1984. Print.
International Migration and Development in the Arab Region. Blue Ridge Summit, United States: United Nations Publications, 2007. Print.
Major Trends Affecting Families: A Background Document. Blue Ridge Summit, United States: United Nations Publications, 2003. Print.
Ramady, Mohamed. The Saudi Arabian Economy: Policies, Achievements, and Challenges. New York, United States: Springer, 2010. Print.