Egyptian Workers in Paris: Pilot Ethnography.
Abstract
This research project addresses the case of Egyptian labour migrants in France. It attempts to understand migration from the point of view of the migrants themselves, particularly in the context of the now chronic problem of unemployment in rural Egypt. The study focuses on workers from Gharbiyya village of Mit Badr Halawa. This village boasts a large number of clandestine workers living in France, working mainly in the construction sector and in the weekly food markets in Paris. These Mit Badr Halawa workers migrate primarily to make money to improve one's (and one's family's) living conditions at home. One important feature of this type of migration is that, regardless of actual outcome, the immigrant considers his stay temporary. The research draws a preliminary map delineating the characteristics of this group/community, and starts to address the question of why this village, in particular, stands out as an exporter of labour to France.
Citation
DRC Research Reports, Sussex, UK, DRC on Migration, Globalisation and Poverty, 21 pp.
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