Shashi Tharoor Calls Findings On Kerala’s Saudi Returnees And Conservative Values ‘Disturbing’

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday flagged what he described as a “disturbing” report examining the social attitudes of Kerala residents who have returned from Saudi Arabia. The study, which Tharoor shared publicly, reportedly found that migrants returning from Saudi Arabia tend to exhibit more “conservative values” in certain areas. The findings have drawn attention because of their references to social attitudes, including those related to gender.

According to the study cited by Tharoor, return migrants from Saudi Arabia were found to display comparatively conservative attitudes after returning to Kerala. The research examined how migration experiences may influence social values and behaviour, with the findings pointing to differences in attitudes among people who had spent time working or living in Saudi Arabia and subsequently returned to their home state.

One of the issues highlighted in the report was “gender-based violence”. Tharoor's decision to flag the findings as “disturbing” appears to stem from the study's observations about attitudes towards gender and social behaviour among sections of return migrants. The reference to gender-based violence has added significance in discussions about how migration and exposure to different social environments can influence attitudes towards women and gender relations.

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Kerala has a long history of migration to Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia and other nations in West Asia. For decades, overseas employment has played an important role in the state's economy, with large numbers of Keralites travelling abroad for work before eventually returning home. Remittances from overseas workers have also been an important part of Kerala's economic landscape, making research into the social impact of migration relevant beyond purely economic considerations.

Migration can influence individuals in multiple ways, including through exposure to different workplaces, institutions, cultural practices and social norms. However, the findings of any individual study need to be interpreted within the methodology and population examined. A finding involving a particular group of return migrants does not necessarily mean that the same attitudes are shared by all Malayali migrants returning from Saudi Arabia or other Gulf countries.

Tharoor's post has brought the report into public discussion at a time when questions around migration, social values and gender equality continue to attract debate. The study's observations raise broader questions about whether prolonged exposure to different social environments can influence attitudes after migrants return to their communities. Such questions can be examined through further research covering migrants from different destinations and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The report's findings, as highlighted by Tharoor, should therefore be viewed in the context of the specific population and research methodology used by its authors. While the reported association between Saudi return migration and more conservative values has prompted concern, it does not by itself establish that migration causes particular attitudes or behaviours. Further examination of the study's evidence would be necessary to understand the strength and wider applicability of its conclusions.

Tharoor's intervention has nevertheless drawn attention to an aspect of Kerala's migration story that extends beyond employment and remittances. The social consequences of overseas migration, including possible changes in attitudes towards gender and family life, remain an important area for research. The discussion is likely to continue as the report's findings are examined more closely and their implications for Kerala's migrant communities are debated.

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