Migration and the formation of upper class. (c2018)

Abstract

The topic of emigration has always been a unique aspect of the Lebanese society and has been extensively covered by academics. However, no research has examined return migrants, in particular, the role of migration in their upward social mobility process. Therefore, this thesis was motivated by an objective to fill a gap in the Lebanese literature concerning return migrants and the role of migration in the formation of an upper class in Lebanon. This thesis aims to investigate how migration enabled some Druze families to join the Lebanese upper class after spending some years abroad. To achieve the research’s objective, nineteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with return migrants who due to migration and working abroad are now part of the upper class. The analysis of the role of migration in the upward social mobility process of our informants is examined based on the capitals as defined by Bourdieu (1986). Finally, this research reveals that all of the interviewed informants utilized one or a combination of social, cultural, and/or economic capital to assist them in their upward social mobility journey.