Citizens Abroad: Emigration and the State in the Middle East and North Africa (Cambridge Middle East Studies, Series Number 23)

Despite the fact that the majority of emigration today originates in the global south, most research has focused on the receiving states of Europe and North America, while very little attention has been paid to the policies of the sending states toward emigration or toward their nationals abroad. Taking the country cases of Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon and Jordan, this work explores the relationship between the government of the sending states, the outmovement of their citizens and the communities of expatriates that have developed. By focusing on the evolution of government institutions charged with various aspects of expatriate affairs, this work breaks new ground in understanding the changing nature of the relationship between expatriates and their home state. Far from suggesting that the state is waning in importance, the conclusions indicate that this relationship provides evidence both of state resilience and of new trends in the practice of sovereignty. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Series-title......Page 5 Title......Page 7 Copyright......Page 8 Dedication......Page 9 Contents......Page 11 Tables......Page 12 Preface......Page 13 Acronyms......Page 16 1 States and their citizens abroad......Page 19 The literature on Emigration......Page 21 Emigration policy......Page 23 The literature from transnationalism......Page 27 Explaining state institutional responses......Page 31 Macro-historical explanations......Page 32 International politics explanations......Page 34 Domestic political explanations......Page 35 Security/stability explanations......Page 36 Methodology......Page 37 2 State sovereignty, state resilience......Page 42 The question of sovereignty and nationals abroad......Page 45 Maintaining sovereignty......Page 51 Dual citizenship, dual nationality......Page 55 Sovereignty and the cases to come......Page 60 3 Morocco: expatriates as subjects or citizens?......Page 63 The European context for immigration......Page 64 Other countries of Western Europe......Page 68 The role of Islam......Page 74 Moroccan state emigration policy......Page 77 Summary......Page 86 The evolution of government institutions dealing with Moroccan expatriates......Page 87 The amicales......Page 89 A ministry for MREs......Page 92 La Fondation Hassan II (FHII)......Page 98 Conclusions......Page 106 4 Tunisia’s expatriates: an integral part of the national community?......Page 110 Emigration policy as read through development plans......Page 111 Emigration policy as read through the law......Page 122 The role of remittances......Page 125 Summary......Page 127 State institutions during the Bourguiba era: independence–1987......Page 128 The changement......Page 131 Government institutions: L’Office des Tunisiens à l’Etranger (OTE)......Page 134 Summer activities......Page 140 The RCD abroad......Page 141 Arabic language instruction......Page 142 Expatriate-directed information and media......Page 145 Conclusions......Page 146 5 Lebanon and its expatriates: a bird with two wings......Page 151 Official concern with emigration......Page 153 The Lebanese political system and the role of emigrants......Page 156 Interest in the emigrants......Page 158 A state policy toward emigration?......Page 161 The WLCU......Page 165 Evaluating the WLCU......Page 177 The Ministry of Expatriates (ME)......Page 178 Conflict with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs......Page 183 The ministership of Salim al-Huss and the reintegration of the ME into the MFA......Page 187 Conclusions......Page 189 6 Jordan: unwilling citizens, problematic expatriates......Page 194 The beginnings of emigration......Page 196 Labor and migration policy......Page 203 Backdrop to the émigré conferences......Page 211 The expatriate conferences......Page 212 Political challenges......Page 215 The third expatriate conference, 1987......Page 220 The fourth conference, 1988......Page 223 The fifth conference, 1989......Page 224 The 1990s......Page 226 Expatriate businessmen’s conferences......Page 228 Conclusions......Page 230 Conclusions: transnationalism, security and sovereignty......Page 234 Sources in English, French and Spanish......Page 242 Materials in Arabic......Page 251 Newspapers and periodicals......Page 252 Unpublished sources......Page 253 Interviews......Page 254 Index......Page 256 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Series-title 5 Title 7 Copyright 8 Dedication 9 Contents 11 Tables 12 Preface 13 Acronyms 16 1 States and their citizens abroad 19 The literature on Emigration 21 Emigration policy 23 The literature from transnationalism 27 Explaining state institutional responses 31 Macro-historical explanations 32 International politics explanations 34 Economic explanations 35 Domestic political explanations 35 Security/stability explanations 36 Methodology 37 2 State sovereignty, state resilience 42 The question of sovereignty and nationals abroad 45 Maintaining sovereignty 51 Dual citizenship, dual nationality 55 Sovereignty and the cases to come 60 3 Morocco: expatriates as subjects or citizens? 63 The European context for immigration 64 Other countries of Western Europe 68 The role of Islam 74 Moroccan state emigration policy 77 Summary 86 The evolution of government institutions dealing with Moroccan expatriates 87 The amicales 89 A ministry for MREs 92 La Fondation Hassan II (FHII) 98 Conclusions 106 4 Tunisia’s expatriates: an integral part of the national community? 110 Tunisian state policy toward emigration 111 Emigration policy as read through development plans 111 Emigration policy as read through the law 122 The role of remittances 125 Summary 127 State institutions during the Bourguiba era: independence–1987 128 The changement 131 Government institutions: L’Office des Tunisiens à l’Etranger (OTE) 134 The RCD 140 Summer activities 140 The RCD abroad 141 Arabic language instruction 142 Expatriate-directed information and media 145 Conclusions 146 5 Lebanon and its expatriates: a bird with two wings 151 Official concern with emigration 153 The Lebanese political system and the role of emigrants 156 Interest in the emigrants 158 A state policy toward emigration? 161 The WLCU 165 Evaluating the WLCU 177 The Ministry of Expatriates (ME) 178 Conflict with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 183 The ministership of Salim al-Huss and the reintegration of the ME into the MFA 187 Conclusions 189 6 Jordan: unwilling citizens, problematic expatriates 194 The beginnings of emigration 196 Labor and migration policy 203 Backdrop to the émigré conferences 211 The expatriate conferences 212 Political challenges 215 The third expatriate conference, 1987 220 The fourth conference, 1988 223 The fifth conference, 1989 224 The 1990s 226 Expatriate businessmen’s conferences 228 Conclusions 230 Conclusions: transnationalism, security and sovereignty 234 Bibliography 242 Sources in English, French and Spanish 242 Materials in Arabic 251 Newspapers and periodicals 252 Unpublished sources 253 Interviews 254 Index 256 By Focusing On The Evolution Of Government Institutions Charged With Various Aspects Of Expatriate Affairs, This Work Breaks New Ground In Explaining The Changing Nature Of The Relationship Between Expatriates And Their Home State. Far From Suggesting That The State Is Waning In Importance, The Conclusions Indicate That This Relationship Provides Evidence Both Of State Resilience And Of New Trends In The Practice Of Sovereignty.--jacket. 1 States And Their Citizens Abroad 1 -- 2 State Sovereignty, State Resilience 24 -- 3 Morocco: Expatriates As Subjects Or Citizens? 45 -- 4 Tunisia's Expatriates: An Integral Part Of The National Community? 92 -- 5 Lebanon And Its Expatriates: A Bird With Two Wings 133 -- 6 Jordan: Unwilling Citizens, Problematic Expatriates 176 -- Conclusions: Transnationalism, Security And Sovereignty 216. Laurie A. Brand. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 224-237) And Index. While scholars remain divided as to whether population movement in the post 1945 period in fact surpasses the magnitudes of earlier periods, the issues of who, why, when, how, and to what effect people move from farm to city, town to town, or country to country have received increasing scholarly and policy attention in recent years. This work looks in detail at the state-emigrant relationship in the cases of Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Lebanon. A socio-economic and political history of the migration is used as background to a discussion of the evolution of state policies put in place to enable states to control these expatriates.