Migration is a major factor that shapes the world we live in. It is at the heart of social, cultural, religious, political, and economic interaction, and is a phenomenon to reckon with in tackling the pressing issues of socio-economic and political change.
The first emigration wave from Lebanon started in the mid-19th century. Lebanese emigrants departed to North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa and Australia. Arab countries, including the Persian Gulf and North African states, have also experienced migration. For example, the movement of peoples from the Persian Gulf region to Iran and south Asia, and back, predates contemporary migration and globalization patterns, and has affected societies and cultures of Gulf countries in decisive ways. The 1970s oil boom reinforced migrations trends toward the rentier states, and has set in motion new socioeconomic and cultural dynamics in Gulf countries. These developments have left their indelible mark on both the 'sending' and the 'receiving' countries.
The growing impact of migration between Arab countries underline the need for a comprehensive understanding of population movements in this part of the world. Globalization has reinforced past trends, incurring greater interaction between peoples and societies, yet it has also given rise to cultural and ethnic isolation. Of special interest is the predicament of Arab populations post-9/11, and the challenges it poses to policy-makers.
The history of Lebanon and the Arab world is inseparable from the history of migration; a study of the former would be incomplete without the study of the latter. This history is, more or less, an academically uncharted territory. In Lebanon, for instance, little, if any, is known about the impact of emigration and immigration on the social, cultural, economic, and political fabric and structure of the country. The impact of historical migration trends in other parts of the Arab world is under increased scrutiny.
The Institute for Migration Studies (IMS) breaks the academic drought on this important, albeit often ignored, subject. It strives to conduct research and publish key findings and scholarly works in the field of migrant studies. The Lebanese American University, with its vision for excellence in education and research, and its location in Beirut, the cultural capital of the Arab World, naturally offers the perfect locale for the functioning and success of such an institute.
In its pursuit of pioneering and innovative research activities, IMR strives towards cooperation with international institutions and research centers which have similar research agendas. We aim to establish affiliations with sister institutes in universities located in Arab countries. The objective is to establish an integrated institutional network for migration research in the Arab world housed at LAU.
In line with the overall mission of LAU, IMS fosters practice-oriented interdisciplinary research that feeds into cutting-edge academic scholarship. IMS also endorses the view that research should also be linked to the aim of providing excellence in teaching.
IMS objectives are:
IMS is an LAU institute affiliated with the Social Sciences and Education Division, on the university's Beirut campus. It has a Director, a Board of Trustees and a Board of Community and Academic Advisors.
Dr. Paul Tabar
Director of the Institute for Migration Studies
Associate Professor of Sociology
Lebanese American University,
Chouran, 1102 2801
P.O.Box: 13-5053
Beirut, Lebanon
Email: ptabar@lau.edu.lb