Palestinian and Iraqi Refugees and Urban Change in Lebanon and Syria

Palestinian and Iraqi Refugees and Urban Change in Lebanon and Syria

[SHS:GEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Geography

Migration

Urbanisation

Réfugiés

Moyen-Orient

Liban

Syrie

Palestiniens

Irakiens

Migration is a key issue in most of the Middle Eastern countries affected both by a high rate of emigration and increasing immigration. Due to political instability, the region has one the largest refugee and internally displaced populations in the world, mainly consisting of Palestinians and Iraqis. Most of these migrant populations reside in urban areas such as Cairo, ‘Amman, Beirut, and Damascus. At the same time, the whole region is experiencing rapid urban development. The urban population increased from one quarter of the total population in the 1950s to over 60% in 2005. The migrants — domestic and international, forced or not — are one of the main drivers of urban development in the region. Despite the diversity of existing situations, refugee movements are generally long-lasting, and the ends of conflicts do not always mean a return for the entire refugee population. The settlement of these populations generates profound changes in entire neighborhoods. Thus, refugees should not be considered only as recipients of humanitarian assistance, waiting for an eventual return or resettlement in a third country, but also as actors who contribute, through their initiatives and coping strategies, to the development of the cities that host them.

Doraï, Mohamed Kamel

2010-03-29

ENG

other publication

http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00468619

http://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/46/86/19/PDF/MEI_Dorai.pdf