Homecomings

Emigration has been a Lebanese phenomenon since the last quarter of the 1800s. Migrations from Lebanon ebbed and flowed according to push and pull factors acting on both Lebanon itself and the destination countries. This research is concerned specifically with the return of Lebanese who left during the civil war of 1975-1990 and who have since returned in the post-war era. The study was undertaken in order to understand a) The factors motivating social mobility; b) The impact of the experience of living abroad on the interviewee's pre- and post-return conditions; and c) The diverse post-return conditions of the interviewees and their perspectives on re-migration. The study seeks to answer some fundamental, though rarely studied questions: a) Personal reasons for returning; b) Whether those personal reasons tie into the role of human and financial capitals and transnational ties in the decision to return; and c) What significant reintegration challenges face the returnees after they transition to the post-return stage. Our purpose is to initiate a dialogue on formulating policies and programs that will help returnees and encourage return migration to the country.