IW"^ 



going to remain, but only 65.5 percent with British wives intended to 

 become permanent North American residents.^*^^ This study regarded 

 the marriage factor in brain drain as being "very important." ^^ 



American acceptance of student failure without serious social stigma 

 encourages nonreturn among foreign students who have failed their 

 studies. The foreign student often carries a heavy burden, not only in 

 studies, but as Professor Kindleberger said in the "hopes of his uni- 

 versity, family, and government." ^®* In some societies failure brings 

 disgrace, and some students are unwilling to go home. According to 

 Habib Naficy, 90 percent of Iranian student failures in the United 

 States will "try b}'^ every means to remain in the United States rather 

 than return to their families in Iran with such loss of face." ^^^ Pro- 

 fessor Kindleberger mentioned the extreme case of a Chinese student 

 failure who lived in the church tower on the Michigan University 

 campus for a year and a half .^^'^ 



ATTRACTION OF URBAN CENTERS 



The social effects of urbanization act as another force pulling emi- 

 grant professionals to the urban centers of the United States and the 

 West. Cities are centers of culture, learning, economic activity, and 

 social intercourse. The dynamics of urban life sets the tone, pace, and 

 style of American life ; rather than turning off the emigrant profes- 

 sionals these qualities have had the reverse effect of attracting them. 

 A specific case in point is that of the FMGs who concentrate in Ameri- 

 can cities and metropolitan areas rather than serving the needs of 

 rural and medically disadvantaged America. (Some New York City 

 hospitals are said to be staffed almost entirely with FMGs.) 



And so it is with other professionals. Emigrant scientists, engineers, 

 and physicians would seem to agree with their British colleagues who 

 preferred stimulation to congeniality, change to stability, and chal- 

 lenge to relative tranquility. Accordingly, they found in the North 

 American urban-oriented environment a "lusty competition" in pro- 

 fessional and economic activities that was both appealing and 

 satisfying.3^^ 



Qualities like these are distinct characteristics of urban America, 

 and along with the spirit of social and political egalitarianism and 

 aggressive individualism create a special appeal to the urban-oriented 

 intellectual immigrant. References to the all-inclusive term "American 

 life-style," meaning the social and economic character of American 

 life, recur in brain drain literature, and perhaps this expression best 

 epitomizes the appeal of American urban life.^*^^ "Listen, this is a 

 different world, with different concepts," said one Middle Easterner 



'*2 James A. Wilson and Jerry Gaston, "New Light on the Brain Drain," New Scientist 

 43. (July 31, 1969), p. 236. 



3«3 Ibid., p. 236. 



2** Kindleberger, op. clt., p. 140. 



3M Naficy, op. clt., p. 67. 



3'"' Kindleberger, op. cit.. p. 140. 



^s'' Wilson, op. cit., p. 28. 



368 Professor Nilan writes : "Long range or permanent nonreturnees . . . are more 

 attracted by the absolute level of salaries offered in the United States, and the general 

 life-style available." ("Foreign Manpower Trained in the United States," p. 302.) 



