Lebanese Brain Drain

Syria and Lebanon are two dramatically different states with a deeply intertwined history. They were both born out of French interventionism following World War 1, and have experienced complex and strained relations ever since. The two nations have both experienced prodigious political turmoil since gaining their independence, with both suffering from civil wars and conflict with their mutual neighbor, Israel. The war and turmoil that has plagued these two countries can be traced back to various competing national interests, as well as a struggle for regional power. The various religious groups in the area have historically formed transnational advocacy networks with the intent of influencing regional politics. These groups have proved to of been a major factor in the history of both nations.

The reason behind Syrians fleeing their home country is to get away from the absolute violence, Syrian civil war has caused, the collapsing infrastructure of the country, and to keep children safe.The outbreak of a civil war in March 2011 caused 9 million Syrians to leave since then (“Syrian Refugees: A Snapshot of the Crisis – in the Middle East and Europe” 1). The Syrian Civil War has left more than two-hundred forty thousand people dead, including twelve thousand children.

The perspective which I upheld about my childhood city of Tripoli Lebanon remained unchanged for the largest portion of my young life. Until a planned visit alongside my family in 2012. It would be only my second visit since my initial immigration to Canada in 2006. During this presumably safe trip, a vicious civil war occurred only two weeks into our vacation. Bombs went off, streaks of bullets zoomed by, televisions and radios blared as the extended family anxiously listened to the news. But that’s not the Tripoli I know. The Tripoli I know is the thriving markets, historic sites, crashing blue waves on the shore and close knit families and neighbourhoods. It’s the same Tripoli which has shaped my identity as I have been surrounded by a never ending learning experience

Some people leave their home countries in search of better social services. Ali Fellah left Iraq because there was a breakdown of services such as electricity, clean drinking water, and fuel. “I’m not thinking about me. It’s about the future for my son” he says. Diseases spread quickly and sufficient services were not available. He also felt threatened by the government of his home country. Fellah could not see a future for his son if their family stayed in Iraq (Five Migrant Stories).

The country of Nicaragua, located in the center of Central America, is one the poorest nations in Latin America. Nicaragua’s citizens are primarily mestizo who account for almost 70% of the population. With a population of nearly six million, 58.8% of Nicaraguans live in urban areas, with nearly 2% of citizens migrating from rural areas to the cities in search of jobs and better welfare. However, internal migration to rural areas also exist seasonally for agricultural labor. Due to the current economic standing of the nation, Nicaragua’s current population growth rests at 1%, while losing 3 out of 1,000 citizens due to emigration. While the nation has seen small growth in its GDP at a 4.5% growth rate, many Nicaraguans continue to migrate out of the nation. In 2009, is was estimated that 42.5% of Nicaraguans lived below the poverty line, with the lowest 10% of citizens sharing 1.4% in household income. In 2008, it was recorded that underemployment rate was at 46.5% (CIA Factbook). When looking at the statistics and numbers for this nation, it is easy to understand the reasoning for many Nicaraguans emigrating out of their country.

A current issue on the minds and agendas of the international community is the Syrian Refugee Crisis. The situation has only escalated since its start in 2011, and as the number of displaced Syrians reaches over 9 million, countries around the world, not just the ones in the Middle East, are increasing efforts to offer asylum and aid for these people. The Syrian Refugee Crisis began with peaceful anti-government protests in March of 2011, but after the violent response of the government, rebels, army defectors, and many civilians formed the Free Syrian Army by July of the same year (Mercy Corps, Sept 2nd, 2015). The presence of ISIS within Syria and the differing views of religious groups (namely Sunni and Shiite) in the country only add to the chaos of destruction of the country and the Syrian people’s lives and homes. With the constant state of war within the country, basic necessities like food, water, and shelter have become scarce and Syrian people are looking to find new homes of stability and safety. The large majority of Syrians have fled to the neighboring countries of Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey. However the burden of harboring these refugees has put huge stress on the countries as the sheer number of people entering the country becomes too much to handle. Today one in five people living in Lebanon is a Syrian refugee (Mercy Corps, Sept 2nd, 2015). With the neighboring countries already beyond capacity, Syrians are looking for shelter in places outside this

In this respect, it is worthy of mention that such a situation with the migration is the result of the recent trend in the world economy which is characterized by processes which are generally called globalization. The process of globalization is overwhelming and involves practically all countries of the world with rare exceptions which

This hatred for Israel was compounded by Israel's occupation of part of Lebanon. The removal of foreigners from Lebanese soil was considered a just cause and this ideological mission earned Hezbollah the support of many of the citizens of Lebanon and the rest of the Arab world.

Refugee issue is a global issue mainly due to wars, conflicts or environmental, political, religious and racial reasons (Gibney & Gil, 2010). In recent years, the turmoil triggered by the "Arab Spring" in many countries in West Asia and North Africa causing numerous refugees, so it has once again attracted the attention of people（Grossman, 2017）. People forced to relocate their homes and even renounce their nationality by war or natural disasters are defined as refugee（UNHCR，2017）.The influx of refugees brings cheap labor forces reducing the cost of productions ,and causes the promotion of economic development. In addition, the increasing population leads to an increase in demand which can increase the income of the host countries and the state tax. It can be argued that refugees are unable to benefit the host nations because refugees increase unemployment rate and occupy resources in education. Although it may be true that there are some negative effects caused by refugees, refugees can benefit the host nation in terms of economy and social advancement.

In this day and age, we find ourselves at odds with our “identity” as we find that not only are we representing ourselves, but we also have ties to religion, sect, tribe, and family (Angrist). This shows that despite the cohesiveness and threads that attach us, it has the power to pull people, families, and in some cases countries apart. This conflict comes to a head when religion and ethnicity are interwoven. Hence when divisions occur, this can lead to violent wars that destroy trust between individuals. This can ingrain a sense of uneasiness and distrust that plagues people’s ideas and leaves a country divided. This is particularly evident in Lebanon. Ethnic and religious division led to the festering of feelings of marginalization and discrimination, which boiled over into the Lebanese civil war, a war that claimed the lives of 150,000 people (Szekely). The anger and frustration birthed from this to chaos, and conflict has in turn increased the division between ethnic and religious factions and led to the crumbling of Lebanese nationalism. This essay is specifically aimed at assessing the relationships between ethnic and religious divisions in Lebanon and explores how it contributed to the civil war. This is done by identifying and analyzing the main actors and makes an explanation of the historical divisions stemming from the National Pact, branching out to include the consequences of the civil war on the political structures and the identities of the

This issue was chosen due to its scope. The Syrian refugee crisis is among a list of issues that will not only shape the world in 2016 but also dominate news outlets in upcoming years. Because of the despairing situation, many governments are struggling to find ways to handle the rush of individuals seeking asylum, for the fact that it seems the crisis is worsening. In addition, the media coverage on the topic sparked my interest and led me to research information because I had no idea what was occurring and the detriment of the issue.

In many cases, multiple families are crammed into the same, often one-roomed house. People who held jobs, and often led successful lives now live off of handouts, or by working odd jobs. Many children have been out of school for over two years, and there is no opportunity to begin school in their host country. Last year, over 40% of elementary children dropped out of school due to the civil war and resulting displacement. With no job and no opportunity of education for their children, there is little hope for those who have fled Syria.

Lebanon lies on the eastern shore of the Mediterranea n Sea, in that part of

In Lebanon is it hard to finance the government because of the slow money growth and dollarization, which results in a burden to the ‘Central Bank’. Some of the measurements that the government has put primary emphasis on privatization are: the telecom sector and electricity, Beirut port, and water utilities. Lebanon’s is U.S’ fourth largest source of imported goods; the U.S has more than