Out Of Conflict, A New Sense Of Identity Is Born

Behind many a migrant story is an attachment to the old country. And, as this week's headlines about stranded Australian citizens in Lebanon demonstrate, such tales would be incomplete without the protagonist's return "home". Between 20,000 and 25,000 people with Australian passports live in Lebanon. Sociologist Trevor Batrouney interviewed 19 Lebanese-born residents of Melbourne for a book on the Lebanese diaspora that was published last year. He says some visit because they want to introduce their children to relatives or see elderly parents. Some go for a holiday, or are curious to see for themselves what years of war have done. A steady stream of second-generation migrants return to find husbands or wives whom they sponsor to come to Australia. It is not uncommon for Lebanese migrants who have retired to divide their year between the two countries. They do this to re-enter life in their village: when Lebanese people meet for the first time, it is routine to inquire which village the other came from. http://www.theage.com.au/news/in-depth/out-of-conflict-a-new-sense-of-identity-is-born/2006/07/21/1153166583323.html

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