Events

CHAIRPERSON

Assoc Prof Elaine Lynn-Ee Ho, Asia Research Institute, and Department of Geography, National University of Singapore

ABSTRACT

The migration system in the oil-rich countries of Persian Gulf is among the largest such systems in the world. Taken in consideration the sheer size and economic importance of migrations to the gulf, it is fair to say that they are academically under-researched. In particular, the long-term outcomes of the migrations to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) remain under-explored. Taking a point of departure in international and local data sources, we discuss the dynamics and outcomes of migrations in the region. We identify the major migration flows to the GCC in period 1960-2013 and link them to the economic, political and demographic idiosyncrasies of the system, as well as to the migration policies of the GCC countries. We focus particularly on the United Arab Emirates, perhaps the most extreme example of the GCC labour migration model. There are some interesting similarities between the GCC and the Singaporean immigration policies, but also important differences. We hope to engage audience in an interesting discussion regarding outcomes of migration policies in Singapore and GCC.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Marko Valenta is a sociologist and full-time professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), in Trondheim, Norway. He undertook his graduate work in Sociology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology where he also received his PhD in Sociology. His research interests are: ethnic relations, refugee and labour migrations and migration policies. He has published articles in leading journals in migration studies, such as The Journal of Refugee Studies and The Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, and Ethnicities. His most recent book, Ethnic Minorities and Politics in Southeastern Europe (co-edited with Sabrina Ramet) was published by Cambridge University Press in 2016.

Zan Strabac is a sociologist and full-time professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), in Trondheim, Norway. He undertook his graduate work in Sociology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology where he also received his PhD in Sociology. His research interests are: ethnic relations, majoritarian attitudes, international labour migrations and quantitative methods. He has published articles in leading journals in sociology and migration studies, such as The Journal of Ethnic and Racial Studies, The Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, The Sociological Quarterly and The Social Science Research.

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