Career Development In The Middle East

Career development has been the focus of complex theoretical and empirical studies in a wide range of occupations and contexts. Such studies have an enduring relevance to our understanding of work, employment and well-being. Yet, what is clear is that the majority of the dominant theoretical and empirical work in the field is located in ‘‘the West’’ and shaped by North American and Western European influences. This is not to suggest that such studies do not have wider relevance but that this dominance of approach may lead to a partial understanding in a global economy. This special issue on career development in the Middle East seeks to provide some redress by offering a systematic and empirically rigorous set of studies drawn from some countries in this neglected area. The Middle East is the region which normally includes Turkey, Israel, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Cyprus, Kuwait, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan. The region is of contemporary political relevance yet this rarely transmits to our understanding of work and careers. It is a region characterised by vast wealth and deep poverty, of histories of stability and instability, of high levels of educational attainment coexisting with high levels of illiteracy, and of countries which rely on migratory labour and others which regret the emigration of human capital. While ‘‘Middle East’’ may be a geographically significant term, from a career perspective, any analysis must recognise the heterogeneity of the countries involved, the importance of political decision making, the educational infrastructure and the dominant cultural values. Our aim in this special issue is to explore a number of studies from countries in the region and thereby provide examples that illuminate the global complexity of career development. In particular, the papers explore the complex interplay of careers with international politics, the state policies, legal, social, cultural and economic dynamics in the region as well as gender, ethnicity, migration structures and issues. They further demonstrate the interdependence on global labour markets and the transmission of knowledge and skill. The issue begins by exploring the macro context of the career base of highly-skilled workers, using the example of Turkey. In this paper, by Tansel and Gu¨ ngo¨r, on the ‘‘‘Brain drain’ from Turkey’’, it is shown how graduate careers are facilitated by ‘‘Western’’ education, particularly in the USA or the UK. For some, the support of families leads to the privatisation of the development of human capital over which the state has little control. Such post-graduate education and training provides the springboard for careers abroad. For others, they may benefit from state support to study abroad. This support is contingent on working in Turkey after graduation. Many students are