Al-Balda al-Ukhra: a meta-text unveiled.(novel, meaning the other village) From: Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ) | Date: September 22, 1998| Author: Mikhail, Mona N. | COPYRIGHT 1998 Association of Arab-American University Graduates and Institute of Arab Studies. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

The novel 'Al-Balda al-Ukhra' (The Other Village) attempts to examine the sociological and political effects of foreign workers in the Gulf countries. Few writers have touched on the subject of the lives of guest workers in Middle Eastern countries. A major percentage of these workers come from third world countries. Their remittances sometimes constitute the backbone of their respective countries' economies. Not enough research has been done on the impact of the Middle East experience on the...