Fourteen specialists from across the European Union discuss current issues regarding Middle Eastern and North African immigrants in Europe, focusing on topics such as immigration legislation, assimilation, integration, multiculturalism, community formation, citizenship, political participation, and religious and cultural identities. This book was previously published as a special issue of the journal Immigrants and Minorities.

One of the most important challenges concerning the future of the European Union is the demographic reproduction of the European population. Decreasing birth-rates and the retirement of the baby boomers will dramatically reduce the labour force in the EU, which will entail not only a lack of manpower but also lower contributions to European social systems. It seems clear that the EU will have to counterbalance this population decrease by immigration in the coming years. Migration Between the Middle East, North Africa and Europe takes this challenge as a point of departure for analysing the MENA region, in particular Morocco, Egypt and Turkey, as a possible source of future migration to the European Union. At the same time, it illustrates the uncertainties implied in such calculations, especially at a time of radical political changes, such as those brought about by the Arab Uprising.

Overzicht van recente, huidige en toekomstige ontwikkelingen rond de migratie vanuit Noord-Afrika en het Midden-Oosten naar Europa.

Comparing demographic trends in Europe and the NAME-region (North Africa and the Middle East), this book demonstrates how population change interacts with changing economic landscapes, social distinctions and political realities. It also provides food for thought for those who are looking for a nuanced perspective on the background and future perspectives of demographic developments in Europe, for a discussion of recent demographic and political realities in the NAME countries, and for those who analyse the effects of contrasting demographic regimes on migration flows to and migration politics in Europe.

Even as the 2013-2017 “migration crisis” is increasingly in the past, EU countries still struggle to come up with alternative solutions to foster safe, orderly, and regular migration pathways, Europeans continue to look in the rear-view mirror.This Report is an attempt to reverse the perspective, by taking a glimpse into the future of migration to Europe. What are the structural trends underlying migration flows to Europe, and how are they going to change over the next two decades? How does migration interact with specific policy fields, such as development, border management, and integration? And what are the policies and best practicies to manage migration in a more coherent and evidence-based way?

Preface -- Acknowledgments --Introduction -- Generations reunite in Arbeen, Syria -- Seed to the wind : The first wave of Arab immigration (1878-1924) -- The Stuff of Myths: Arab Adventurers in the New World -- The Withered Cedar: Why the Arabs Left Syria and Lebanon -- Who Am I? The Syrians Dock in America -- Transplanting the fig tree: The first generation on American soil (1924-1947) -- The Depression and the Syrian Americans -- World War II -- Making a Name: First-Generation Notables -- The Palestine debacle: The second wave of Arab immigration (1948-1966) -- Syrian Americans React to the Brewing Palestine Conflict -- Immigrants from a Lost Palestine -- Other Second Wave Immigrants from Arab Regimes -- The third wave: West Bank captured, Lebanon torn asunder, The Iran-Iraq War (1967-1989) -- Iraqis, Yemenis, and Egyptian Copts -- Third Wave Palestinians and Lebanese -- The political awakening (1972-1982) -- The Association of Arab American University Graduates (AAUG) -- The National Association of Arab Americans (NAAA) -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) -- Before the Flames -- The Israeli Invasion of Lebanon -- Stumbling toward peace (1986-2000) -- The Cases of Alex Odeh and the L.A. 8 -- The Coleico Doll and the First Intifadah -- The First Gulf War Triggers Hate Crimes -- The Oslo Peace Process -- Access White House or Affirmative Action? -- The Death of Oslo and the Second Intifadah -- After the flames: Arab Americans and American fear (2001-2004) -- September 11 and the Patriot Act -- What do Arab Americans Want? -- Ongoing Achievement -- To Be or Not to Be Arab American: A Look at the Literature -- A celebration of community -- Center of the World (Washington, DC) -- Food You Can Trust (Detroit) -- Dance over the Death Home (Brooklyn) -- The Slave of Balfour House (Vicksburg) -- The Sunni Who Sells Insurance (Cedar Rapids) -- The Mosque and the Prairie (Ross, North Dakota) -- A Porch in Pasadena (California) -- Appendixes: Number of Arrivals in the United States from Turkey in Asia, by Sex, 1869-1898 -- Number of Arrivals from Syria in the United States by Sex, 1899-1924 -- Arab Immigration to the United States, 1948-2003 -- Arab Eastern Rite Christian, Muslim, and Druze Population in the United States -- Notes -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index.