Women Returnees: Migration, Social Change in Post-Revolution MENA

The Arab revolutions, which began in late 2010, have profoundly reshaped the political and social landscapes of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Women’s roles in these movements were significant, yet their post-revolution experiences, particularly concerning return migration, remain under-explored.

This paper debates the complex underlying motivations for return migration by focusing on women returnees from Italy to Morocco and Tunisia in the past 15 years. Specifically, by adopting a cross-national perspective, it looks at how migration influences cultural diversity and challenges social norms-especially about the gendered experiences of migrants after their return. Using thematic analysis of 25 semi-structured interviews, the article explores the reintegration processes among the interviewed women and highlights both opportunities and socio-cultural challenges in the process of renegotiating identities upon their return.

The study further shows how returnees engage in local socio-economic and community-building initiatives, which contribute to changing the cultural way of life and practices. In such an environment, migration becomes a source of new forms of social participation besides being a dislocating force. Women who return home often utilize their newly acquired skills abroad to establish new enterprises and position themselves as vital members of the social and economic life of their communities.

In turn, this paper argues for a sociologically sensitive approach to return migration at the intersection of cultural diversity, migration, and gender. It underlines policies that would support returnees' social and economic integration, fully cognizant of how migration continues to reshape individual trajectories and collective experiences.