Female Emigration Research Articles

‘The loneliest of the war’s victims’: wives and families of Italian emigrant soldiers in the First World War

ABSTRACT Women’s experiences during the First World War have received considerable scholarly attention but the fates of emigrant women have remained understudied. This article focuses on Italian emigrant women in the Americas, Europe and North Africa and uncovers how their experiences differed both from those of women in Italy and from those of other women in their adopted countries. The female emigrants most affected by the war were the wives of the 300,000 reservists who returned to Italy for their military service, which plunged many families into crisis. The difficulties faced by all wives of mobilised soldiers were exacerbated for female Italian emigrants. As Italian men had been the only emigrant group to depart en masse for service at home, the case of Italian women is unique. As non-citizens, they were generally not entitled to state aid. In addition, the Italian government subsidy was entirely insufficient abroad and many families were ineligible for support. This article thus explores how the Italian government and private charity abroad responded to this unfolding crisis in Italian emigrant communities and how the women themselves experienced the war and the new challenges of being an emigrant on a foreign home front.

‘Girls are Wanted More Than Men’: A Gendered Experience of Child Migration in the Mid-Nineteenth Century

Abstract On Christmas Day 1848 the Ramillies left England bound for Port Adelaide, Australia, carrying amongst its passengers a group of girls from London’s ragged schools and Marylebone Workhouse. An incidence of brutal punishment to which some of the girls were subjected on board ship went unreported in the British press at the time but became the subject of a heated debate in Parliament 12 months later. Through an examination of letters, press reports and official records, this article uses the journey of this one ship as a case study to illustrate the range of experiences, both negative and positive, faced by young poor female emigrants and demonstrates the ways in which those experiences were shaped by gender. It explores why emigration was seen as a particularly appropriate solution to the ‘problem’ of destitute girls and why the process itself was more challenging for them than for boys, using this analysis as a tool to bring into sharper focus some of the prevailing attitudes towards poor young women in the mid-nineteenth century. Finally, it shows how, whereas young women in similar situations are often portrayed as victims, some could, albeit operating within a restricted range of options, exercise at least some degree of choice. Early emigration schemes like this, operated by the Ragged School Union and others, have rarely figured in the historiography; this article will build on existing scholarship in gender, childhood and emigration studies and offer new insights into the life experiences of pauper girls in the mid-nineteenth century.

Gender, Remittances and the Impact of COVID-19: A Preliminary Analysis

Remittances are an important source of development finance, particularly in recent years, due also to increased migration flows at the global level. The recent COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a sudden drop in remittances, and an alarming aspect of the pandemic was that it particularly affected female migrants. Despite the importance of gender for remittance sending and usage, research about international migration and remittances insufficiently considers its role. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to partially fill this gap in the relevant literature by trying to address the following important questions: (1) In what ways is gender important in understanding the sending and the usage of remittances?; and (2) what is the relationship between gender, COVID-19, and pandemic-induced remittance reductions? In doing so, the paper provides an overview of the (limited) literature on the vast influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on female migrants. It also assesses whether gender has influenced the extent to which remittance inflows decreased as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting a preliminary empirical analysis based on some recent data (albeit limited) on the above nexus. The paper contributes to the relevant literature in multiple ways. First, the detailed discussion of the influence of gender on remittances and the impact of COVID-19 on female migrants has revealed important aspects of the overall relationship that can stimulate further research on these topics and also raises important policy questions for policymakers. Second, preliminary findings of a possible negative correlation between COVID-19-induced changes in remittances and female emigration rates provide some further insights into the above nexus. Finally, the paper raises important concerns about female migrants’ well-being during the pandemic and calls for further empirical research.

The British German Legion and the Irish “Marriage Force”: Assisted Emigration Schemes and the Mid-Victorian British Empire

AbstractThis article examines the Lady Kennaway assisted emigration scheme, designed to send women from Ireland's workhouses to the eastern frontier of the Cape Colony in Southern Africa. First proposed by Colonial Secretary Henry Labouchere in 1857, the scheme's purpose was to provide wives for the British German Legion, which had been resettled to British Kaffraria the previous year. Initially, the plan appeared to be of benefit for both Ireland and the Cape Colony. According to colonial officials and emigration commissioners, Ireland would be rid of a superfluous population, the Irish women would attain social and economic advancement, and the Eastern Cape would gain much-needed female settlers. Emigration authorities quickly found their optimism tempered by realities, however, as many Irish Poor Law guardians and workhouse women refused to participate. The Lady Kennaway scheme—so named after the ship that carried the emigrants—demonstrates the ways in which local interests could, and often did, shape imperial practices. Moreover, in tracking the decisions of emigration commissioners in London, colonial officials in Southern Africa, Poor Law guardians in Ireland, and potential female emigrants, this analysis reveals the multitude of individuals who molded Britain's mid-nineteenth-century imperial project.

Efectos de la violencia sobre las tasas de emigración interna municipal en México: 1995-2015

This article explores the relationship between the increase of violence in Mexico and the rising level of internal municipal emigration before, during, and after the so-called Mexican Drug War, which started in 2007. Through a linear regression and multinomial logistic models, it is shown that violence has had a positive and significant effect on the increase of internal emigration rates, particularly in municipalities with the highest internal emigration rates during the 2005-2010 period. In addition, the effect of violence tendsto be greater on female emigration rates compared to males. This indicates the increase of forced internal displacement in Mexico due to violence in recent years. However, more studies are needed to shed light on forced displacement and the effects of high violence levels on internal and international migration.

Inter-sexual and inter-generation differences in dispersal of a bivoltine butterfly

In organisms with discrete generations such as most insects, life-history traits including dispersal abilities often vary between generations. In particular, density-dependent differences in dispersal of bi- and multivoltine species may be expected because subsequent generations are usually characterized by a drastic increase in individual abundance. We investigated the inter-sexual and inter-generation differences in dispersal of a bivoltine butterfly, Lycaena helle, testing the following hypotheses: (1) male emigration is higher in spring generation, as males are prone to leave their natal habitat patches when the density of mating partners is low; (2) female emigration is higher in summer generation, when it helps to reduce intraspecific competition between offspring. The outcome of our analyses of dispersal parameters showed that females of the summer generation emigrated from their natal patches considerably more often than those of the spring generation, whereas an opposite trend was detected in males. These findings offer a novel perspective for our understanding of the advantages of voltinism for metapopulation functioning. The spring generation dispersal mainly improves the random mating opportunities favoured by the increase in male emigration. In turn, the dispersal of females of the summer generation appears the key to long-term metapopulation persistence.

Migration Infrastructure and Brokerage in Victorian Female Emigration Societies

Abstract In the nineteenth century, female mobility was eased by a variety of intermediary structures, which interacted to direct the migration of British women to the Empire. Among these migration infrastructures were female emigration societies such as the Female Middle Class Emigration Society (1861–1886). This organisation was the first to assist gentlewomen in emigrating. It adopted a holistic approach to British female emigration by promoting women’s departure, selecting candidates, arranging their protection on the voyage, as well as their reception in the colonies. Grounded in a multifactorial perspective, this article offers an insight into how female migration brokerage came into being in the Victorian context. It intersects migration with gender and labour perspectives in a trans-sectorial approach of the history of female migration infrastructures in the British Empire, and reveals the diversity of transnational migration intermediaries interacting at meso level between female emigrants, non-state actors, and state institutions.

Thomas Cave Childs: Pioneer chaplain to female emigrants and the Missions to Seamen

Thomas Cave Childs (1819–67), a vicar in the worst part of Devonport, was a pioneer in the welfare of female emigrants and was involved in the foundation of the Missions to Seamen. Childs, the real link with the remnants of John Ashley’s missionary work with seafarers, was the catalyst which brought W. H. G. Kingston into the equation, leading ultimately to the formation of the Missions to Seamen. He was briefly one of its chaplains, based on the Solent, but a redistribution of the mission’s efforts, coupled with ill health, led to his departure from the organization. He died in tragic circumstances at the age of 46. His contribution to the welfare of female emigrants and to the Church of England’s work among seafarers generally has largely been forgotten, but deserves far greater recognition. This article looks at these aspects of his ministry.

Intersexual differences in density-dependent dispersal and their evolutionary drivers.

Dispersal is well recognized as a major driver of evolutionary processes in local populations. Nevertheless, dispersal abilities should also be perceived as a life-history trait, being subject to evolutionary changes in response to various drivers. Empirical studies investigating these drivers rarely consider that they may influence male and female dispersal differently. The purpose of our study was to document intersexual differences in density-dependent emigration from local habitat patches. As a model system, we used a metapopulation of Maculinea (Phengaris) teleius butterfly, in which densities of both sexes vary greatly throughout the flying season. Following intensive mark-release-recapture surveys, the parameters and predictors of dispersal were analysed with the Virtual Migration model and the multi-state recapture model. The emigration rate in males was substantially higher in the early season, especially at smaller habitat patches. With the proportion of females increasing with the season progression, males became reluctant to emigrate from their natal patches. In turn, higher female emigration in the later part of the season was most strongly associated with female tendency to reduce intraspecific competition experienced by their offspring. Our findings provide evidence for the impact of reproductive strategies on dispersal in both sexes. The difference in reproductive strategies of males and females explains sex-biased dispersal in different parts of the season, which carries important implications for metapopulation functioning.

Polki emigrantki w transnarodowych sytuacjach poradniczych

Based on grounded theory (Anselm Strauss and Barney glaser), this research project aims at interpreting narrative interviews with Polish female emigrants subjected to circular migration and presents transnational counseling situations. Author refers to various theoretical concepts such as transnationality and its types (linear, resource-based, reactive) as well as to counseling situations described as cooperation, battle (game), “bought friendship”, according to the classification elaborated by Alicja Kargulowa. In the concluding part, the author presents the ambiguous, complex, multidimensional dynamics of transnational counseling situations.

Biographical method and its use in the field of migration studies

Even though the migration is a very important phenomenon in contemporary society, the theoretical and methodological backgrounds used by scholars in examining this field are still in the process of consolidation. In order to contribute to the development of migration studies in Serbia, but also methodological discussions in general, the purpose of this paper is to shed some light on the biographical method that is most often defined as qualitative research approach and has obtained great importunacy within migration studies. The paper first gives an overview of the development of methodology used in the exploration of migration, after which it focuses on the characteristics of biographical method. The benefits of usage of this approach are presented on the material collected by author of this paper during her research with economically active female emigrants from Serbia, who lived in France and Germany.

Marriage Emigration of Russian Women: Causes, Trends, Effects

The article discusses the trends of female emigration from Russia after the collapse of the USSR. A comparative study with data from foreign statistics, opinion polls of experts show that the phenomenon of “Russian wives” has become a very common phenomenon on a global scale. The article analyzes the factors and causes of marital emigration of women from Russia. Factors contributing to the marital emigration of Russian women abroad were also highlighted. At the heart of emigration are “pushing” socio-economic and demographic factors of Russia. As attracting - to a greater extent subjective-psychological. On the basis of a comparative analysis of Russian and foreign statistics, an attempt was made to assess the scope and geography of the phenomenon of marital emigration from Russia. The key areas of emigration of Russian women after the collapse of the USSR, which include the USA, European countries, and Asian countries (Japan, Korea, China, Middle East countries) have become popular in recent years. The structure and institutions in Russia that contribute to the marriage emigration of women and their entry into the international marriage market have been determined. Also identified risks associated with the relocation of women abroad in order to enter into marriage, including involvement in traffic, sexual and labor exploitation, becoming addicted.

Sons or Daughters? The Impact of Children's Migration on the Health and Well-Being of Parents Left Behind

We study the impact of adult children's internal migration on the health and subjective well-being of elderly parents left behind, distinguishing between the gender of the migrant children. To overcome migration endogeneity, we exploit novel and exogenous variation in children's astrological characteristics and apply instrumental variables methods. We find a positive effect of the migration of daughters on parents' health and life satisfaction, but no such beneficial effects when sons migrate. We further explore the mechanism through which this gender-biased migration effect may arise. Our findings have important implications for regions and countries that have high rates of female emigration.

Socio - Economic Impact of Female Emigration from Kerala - A Case Study of Mallappally and Kumbanad Panchayats

Socio - Economic Impact of Female Emigration from Kerala - A Case Study of Mallappally and Kumbanad Panchayats

Gender roles of Polish female emigrants and their paths of self-realization in relation to work-life balance policy

A numerous previous reports on Polish women’s emigration provided information on their passive role in the decision making process concerning leaving Poland, obtaining employment predominantly in the sector of household services or their marriage-oriented strategy of survival in the foreign country. The current picture of women’s roles in emigration has been changed. The purpose of the presented research was to explore the paths of self-realization of Polish female emigrants regarding the gender roles realised by them in the field of the work-life balance idea. The research was conducted in psycho-sociological approach. There were 113 adult Polish female emigrants, who had spent a period of time exceeding one year on emigration in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia admitted to the research. This project was realised on the basis of quantitative data gathered throughout online survey and supplemented by qualitative data in the shape of 15 semi-structured interviews. The obtained results showed that the examined Polish women declare to undertake gender roles compliant with the new cultural model, and to lesser extent compliant to the traditional one. They demonstrated proactiveness in the phase of decision-making about emigration and as they attempted to combine their family life with the professional sphere in the country they have arrived in what corresponds with the WLB idea promoted in developed countries. Key words: work-life balance, gender roles, self-realization, Polish women, emigrants

Catharine Parr Traill’s The Female Emigrant’s Guide: Cooking with a Canadian Classic edited by Nathalie Cooke and Fiona Lucas

Catharine Parr Traill’s The Female Emigrant’s Guide: Cooking with a Canadian Classic edited by Nathalie Cooke and Fiona Lucas

Catherine Parr Traill’s The Female Emigrant's Guide: Cooking with a Canadian Classic by Nathalie Cooke and Fiona Lucas (Eds.)

Based on broadly annotated recipes published in 1855, this historical treasure trove of food sourcing and cooking has been reworked for modern readers by editors Nathalie Cooke and Fiona Lucas. These authors have been deeply immersed in Canadian culinary history for most of their careers, dedicated to making their findings both accurate and interesting. With this material, I could imagine them setting out together on a journey of discovery, much like Parr Traill and her family did when they sailed from the relative luxury of their “sylvan” Suffolk homeland in 1832 to become bush farmers in Duoro Township north of the hamlet of Peterborough. Our intrepid editors ended up with a Canadian culinary treatise that every curious home cook or chef should read.

Demography and metapopulation dynamics of an urban Cooper's Hawk subpopulation

ABSTRACT Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) have been extending their breeding range into urban areas, prompting questions about the relative importance of cities to the demography and conservation of these raptors. A key unanswered question is how urban subpopulations interact with their precedent exurban subpopulations. Two general models have been proposed to describe relationships among subpopulations in a metapopulation: (1) source–sink, where immigrants from sources sustain sinks; and (2) balanced dispersal, where dispersal is proportionally equal among subpopulations. I evaluated whether either of these models predict metapopulation dynamics of urban and exurban Cooper's Hawks in central New Mexico using demographic data in a Bayesian integrated population model. All urban female Cooper's Hawks began breeding in their first year; 69% settled at nests in the urban subpopulation and 31% emigrated and settled in an exurban subpopulation. The high rate of female emigration was likely because of a shor...

Large-Scale Climate Effects Meet an Amazonian Butterfly: Which Population Parameters Respond to El Niño?

One of the most tangible outcomes of climate change is change in the frequency of El Niño/La Niña events. They have a large impact on rainfall in the Western hemisphere, but their impact on tropical fauna is largely unknown. A decade long capture-mark-recapture study of the widespread Ecuadorian butterfly Nessaea hewitsoni (Felder & Felder) from an intact forest allowed us to analyze patterns of monthly and seasonal population dynamics before, during, and after an El Niño event. El Niño events did not affect long-term population size, but a 5-month delayed El Niño led to temporary emigration of females, with their subsequent return. Increased rainfall correlated with reduced survival in both sexes, but this effect was twice as strong in females. This investigation is the longest, continuous population study on any Neotropical insect species. Though we sampled on a modest scale, the magnitude of El Niño events suggests that our findings likely reflect insect population responses across a much larger portion of Amazonian forests. This study underscores the importance of analyzing multiple, interacting population parameters beyond local abundance in order to understand the biotic responses to El Niño and climate change in tropical systems. Had our analyses not included temporary emigration, no effect would have been detected because El Niño did not affect local population abundance.

Relocating Lives in the ‘Britain of the South’: The Influence of Emigrant Advice Manuals on the Public Writings of Nineteenth-Century Female Emigrants

ABSTRACTThroughout the nineteenth century, emigration from England to the colonies was actively promoted through promotional literature (known as ‘booster’ literature) in the form of books, pamphlets, newspaper and journal articles, scientific and ethnographic works, lectures and advertisements. The emigration companies and agents were undoubtedly self-promoting propagandists; nevertheless, the emigrant advice literature was highly influential. This article considers the ways in which nineteenth-century female immigrants to New Zealand drew on booster literature in their public writings. The specific focus is on three selected pieces of life writing, each of which mirrors key features of emigrant advice literature: a letter describing life in New Zealand from an unnamed settler’s wife in 1852; an essay titled ‘A Few Last Words About Auckland’, written as an appendix to a loosely autobiographical novel published in 1882; and a booklet titled ‘Taken In’; Being, A Sketch of New Zealand Life published in 1887. They are analysed through social historian Miles Fairburn’s thematic frame of New Zealand as a country of natural abundance that provided ample opportunities for labouring people to achieve independence, and a society which naturally created a high level of order and guaranteed middle-class people freedom from status anxiety through a simple life.