1169 



in contrasting life in America ^Yith that in the Arab world.^'^^ Exposed 

 to the social dynamics of American urban life and the spirit of egal- 

 itarianism, emigrant professionals are induced, as one Korean Ph. D. 

 candidate put it, "to reconsider their own philosophy of life." ^^° 

 As Abdul Said, a Saudi Arabian Graduate student at the University 

 of Kansas, observed : In a social situation in which the "individual's 

 needs are gaining priority over the feelings of sacrifice and commit- 

 ment to one's nation," the .transition is easy from emigrant to 

 immigrant.^^^ 



"pull" of social forces 



The appeal of American social democracy holds a prominent place 

 among the "pull" forces in brain drain to the United States. Unlike the 

 archaic, rigidly structured social orders of traditional societies, Amer- 

 ica presents to immigrant professionals an open and fluid society where 

 upward mobility is easy and the criteria for access to social status are 

 ability and performance. Responsibility is often given to the young 

 professional, and rewards come quickly to the successful. Prestige is 

 an added reward in this society that places a high value on science, 

 technology, and medicine. Dynamics of urban life combine with the 

 egalitarianism of the American social order to produce a life-style 

 uniquely attractive to many immigrant professionals. 



'"'"PulV Factors in the Political Sphere : Search for Political Stahility 

 and Freedom of Inquiry 



Political stability probably ranks with freedom of inquiry as a fac- 

 tor attracting emigrant professionals to the United States and other 

 Western countries. Established democratic institutions foster orderly 

 processes of government, promise personal safety, and in general pro- 

 duce a climate of physical and psychological serenity that encourages 

 intellectual pursuits. "First and foremost" among the reasons why the 

 great majority of Arab scholars are attracted to the West, according 

 to Michael W. Suleiman, "is the desire for peace of mind for the indi- 

 vidual and his family." This quality he finds within the political sys- 

 tems of the United States and the West. Mr. Suleiman goes on to ex- 

 plain : "In practical terms, it means the absence of violence or threat 

 of violence, be it physical or psychological. Insecurity, harassment, 

 uncertainty as to what will happen next, political instability — all these 

 are components of an anxiety syndrome that is mentally and physically 

 debilitating." To escape this "syndrome," he continues, "many edu- 

 cated Arabs have chosen to reside in the West primarily to enjoy the 

 luxury of a happy and productive life unencumbered by worries over 

 personal safety." ^^^ 



Students, scholars, and other professionals from the politically tur- 

 bulent areas of developing Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the major 

 sources of brain drain, find refuge in the stable democracies of the 



3^» Said, OD. clt., p. 15. 

 3^0 Ibid., p. 10. 

 3^1 Ibid., p. 17. 



3"2 Michael W. Suleiman, "The Repatriation of Arab Elites," Middle East Forum 67 

 (Autumn and Winter 1971). p. 74. 



