Immigration History Research Articles

Social changes and peasant livelihood during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty

In the early Qing Dynasty, Manchu rulers sought to prevent a large number of Han people from leaving customs and infringing on the interests of the Manchus, due to its influence on the customs and order of the Manchu people in the "the place of prosperity", Northeast China was sealed off and Han people in the region were prohibited from migrating to the northeast. However, the strict ban did not completely stop the Han immigration activities. A series of economic policies implemented during the period from Kangxi to Qianlong made Shandong's population increase substantially, and it was difficult for the limited land to support the rapidly growing population. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, a series of natural disastehasave occurred in Shandong, and poverty and famine forced a large number of Han people to enter the east to make a living. Based on the experience of Shao Ying, a poor man in Jimo, Shandong province, during the Qianlong period, this paper tries to explore this grand immigration history and the economic and social background at that time.

Historical Immigration Policies: Trends and Lessons

Abstract In recent years, scholars of migration have created several new immigration policy indexes, but most existing databases have limited temporal scope. They also focus, to a large extent, on the Global North. In this research note, we introduce the Historical Immigration Policy dataset (HIP), which begins to fill these gaps. We first provide an overview of the data and then describe how they offer new insights into immigration policy. We make three empirical observations. (1) On average, democracies are less open to immigration than authoritarian states but grant resident migrants more rights. (2) European states were open to immigration earlier than standard accounts of global migration assume. (3) Historically, openness to immigration and inclusive rights for resident migrants have often been complements, not substitutes.

Beyond the narrative: Colombia and the Venezuelan migrants

AbstractForced migration is an increasingly common feature in international relations, and the mass migration of Venezuelans to Colombia provides an opportunity to analyze how strategic narratives can support a welcoming migration and integration policy. Because Colombia is a country with no history of immigration and no established anti‐immigrant group, its experience provides unique insight into the impact and limitations of positive migration narratives. While Colombia's migration policy and humanitarian narrative have garnered praise internationally, this praise has not been matched by a sense of urgency for action, attention, or funding. Domestically, the policy response to mass Venezuelan migration has met international standards. Moreover, the country has experienced relatively little unrest compared to other host countries in Latin America. There is, however, ample evidence that Colombian perceptions of increased Venezuelan migration are negative and that tension and scapegoating are on the rise. Given these contradictions, this article reviews and discusses how and why Colombia's positive, humanitarian narratives have succeeded, as well as these narratives' limitations and need for adjustments. Together, these insights can help other host nations craft more effective and truthful migration strategic narratives.

COVID-19 hospitalization, mortality and premature mortality by a history of immigration in Ontario, Canada: a population-based cohort study

Immigrants in high-income countries experienced inequities in COVID-19 severe outcomes. We examined hospitalization and death throughout the pandemic, and change during the vaccine era, in Ontario, Canada. We conducted a population-based study using linked immigration and health data, following two cohorts for 20 months from January 1, 2020 (pre-vaccine) and September 1, 2021 (vaccine era). We used multivariable Poisson generalized estimating equation regression to estimate adjusted rate ratios (aRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), accounting for age, sex and co-morbidities. We calculated age-standardized years of life lost (ASYRs) rates by immigrant category. Of 11,692,387 community-dwelling adults in the pre-vaccine era cohort and 11,878,304 community-dwelling adults in the vaccine era cohort, 21.6% and 21.4% of adults in each era respectively were immigrants. Females accounted for 57.9% and 57.8% of sponsored family, and 68.4% and 67.6% of economic caregivers, in each era respectively. Compared to other Ontarians in the pre-vaccine era cohort, hospitalization rates were highest for refugees (aRR [95% CI] 3.41 [3.39-3.44]) and caregivers (3.13 [3.07-3.18]), followed by sponsored family and other economic immigrants. Compared to other Ontarians, aRRs were highest for immigrants from Central America (5.00 [4.92-5.09]), parts of South Asia (3.95 [3.89-4.01]) and Jamaica (3.56 [3.51-3.61]) with East Asians having lower aRRs. Mortality aRRs were similar to hospitalization aRRs. In the vaccine era, all aRRs were attenuated and most were similar to or lower than other Ontarians, with refugees and a few regions maintaining higher rates. In the pre-vaccine era ASYRs were higher for all immigrant groups. ASYRs dropped in the vaccine era with only refugees continuing to have higher rates. Immigrants, particularly refugees, experienced greater premature mortality. aRRs for most immigrant groups dropped substantially after high vaccine coverage was achieved. Vaccine outreach and improvements in the social determinants of health are needed. Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Research Chairs Program.

The Development of U.S. Immigration History: Historical Factors, Formation Mechanisms, and Migrant Groups

Regional economic integration has emerged as a significant focus for China in the post-pandemic era, as the nation seeks to establish mutually beneficial relationships with external economies and promote national development. In this study, the entropy method is employed to construct an index system tailored specifically to the four provinces within the Yangtze River Delta region. This research aims to explore the advantages and challenges of regional economic integration in China by conducting a comparative analysis of the Yangtze River Delta. The study also evaluates the merits and drawbacks of different integration models, drawing on examples from developed countries. The ultimate goal of the research is to provide insights and recommendations for China's regional economic integration, thus contributing to the country's overall prosperity. The results revealed that factors such as economic downturns caused by the pandemic have led the United States to experience a resurgence of racism and xenophobia, reminiscent of historical periods of American nativism, marked by economic insecurity and rapid demographic changes due to mass immigration. However, unlike previous eras with unrestricted immigration, the U.S. has tightened border policies and reduced the number of immigrants, using violent methods to expel unauthorized immigrants, such as Mexican migrant workers, along with their children born in the U.S., forcing them to move to a country where they may not speak the language or understand the culture.

Who Really Represents Me? The Case of Afro-Latinx Bureaucratic Representation in New York City Public Schools

Who Really Represents Me? The Case of Afro-Latinx Bureaucratic Representation in New York City Public Schools

We Are Not All the Same: Implications of Heterogeneity Among Latiné/e/x/o/a, Hispanic, and Spanish Origin People.

There is great variation in the experiences of Latiné/e/x/o/a, Hispanic, and/or Spanish origin (LHS) individuals in the United States, including differences in race, ancestry, colonization histories, and immigration experiences. This essay calls readers to consider the implications of the heterogeneity of lived experiences among LHS populations, including variations in country of origin, immigration histories, time in the United States, languages spoken, and colonization histories on patient care and academia. There is power in unity when advocating for community, social, and political change, especially as it pertains to equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI; sometimes referred to as DEI) efforts in academic institutions. Yet, there is also a critical need to disaggregate the LHS diaspora and its conceptualization based on differing experiences so that we may improve our understanding of the sociopolitical attributes that impact health. We propose strategies to improve recognition of these differences and their potential health outcomes toward a goal of health equity.

Molecular variation and phylogeography within European Isothecium alopecuroides and Pseudisothecium myosuroides (Bryophyta, Lembophyllaceae)

Abstract Earlier studies on Isothecium s.l. suggested potential interchange of genetic material between species that are nowadays known to belong to separate genera. In this study, we analyse the variation in three molecular markers (nuclear gpd; mitochondrial nad5; and plastid trnG) in a wide selection of Isothecium alopecuroides and Pseudisothecium myosuroides specimens to infer whether this potential exchange of genetic material is frequent. In addition, we explore the phylogeographic structure of these two species in Europe. Our results seem to show repeated genetic interchange for the nuclear and mitochondrial markers in both species, suggesting intergeneric hybridization, although horizontal gene transfer and/or incomplete lineage sorting could also explain the detected incongruences. The genetic lineages found indicate a complex biogeographical history for I. alopecuroides, including both post-glacial immigration from different glacial refugia and developing haplotypes potentially adapted to cold climates. As for P. myosuroides, genetic variants could either indicate a post-glacial immigration history or adaptation to oceanic conditions. Further studies including a larger set of more variable molecular markers could help to reach final conclusions on the results here presented.

‘Entirely white’? Female immigrants and domestic work in Italy (1960s–1970s)

AbstractRecently, a renewed history of foreign immigration in Italy, focusing on the very first migration flows after the Second World War, has offered a more appropriate periodisation of the phenomenon. Women have been at the forefront of these flows, which were initially determined by the new postcolonial setting of the former Italian colonies (Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia). Subsequently, the immigrants came from various other countries (Spain, Cape Verde, Portugal, El Salvador, Peru, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Ceylon, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan). At the same time, the majority of them were employed in a specific sector of the labour market: domestic work. This article focuses on female immigrants who were employed as domestic workers, their presence in public discourse in Italy in the 1960s and 1970s, and government policies in this area. Drawing on statistical data and surveys, press and audiovisual materials, and feminist theory and practices, it aims to analyse the construction of paradigms – visibility, invisibility, subalternity, rights and racialisation – associated with female immigration and domestic work as a specific sector of employment.

Immigration in Italy before Jerry Masslo: the social profile of the immigrant in 1980s research

This article reconstructs the public representation of immigration in Italy from the late 1970s until the late 1980s. Using archival sources and research produced during the period under consideration, with a special focus on the role of the scientific community in considering the complexity of immigration, the article traces the evolution of the immigrant's social profile up to the assassination of Jerry Essan Masslo in 1989, a turning point in the history of immigration in Italy.

I am a Part of China, and China is Always in My Heart: Korean Huaqiao in Abeojiwa Tanghuru

Abeojiwa Tanghuru is a pioneer work in the history of ethnic groups’ literature in Korea. The publication of this book not only signifies that the views of the ethnic groups have been accepted by modern Korean society, but also suggests the important role played by the literature of the Chinese in diversifying Korean literature. This paper, taking Yu Meling and her book Abeojiwa Tanghuru as the object of study, reviews the history of Chinese immigration into Korea and their cultural memories and discusses the identity of Chinese in Korea, providing more literary perspectives and materials for historical and social studies.

Archives in Stone: Cemeteries, Burial, and Urban Ownership in Late Colonial Ghana

While many scholars have examined the influence of European law, writing, and record-keeping on African land rights and property, few have analyzed semi-textual records such as cemetery gravestones. This essay argues that urban cemeteries, introduced by the British colonial state to the Gold Coast Colony (southern Ghana) in the nineteenth century, became archives in stone. As one of the few public records forums available inside Gold Coast towns, cemeteries offered basic, but crucial, information. They indirectly dated immigration history and reflected ancestral political status. Over the course of colonial rule, Gold Coast citizens petitioned the state to have their elders buried in particular cemeteries to augment their claims to land and authority. This essay demonstrates that urban ownership—the status of belonging to a town as an authochthon—came to depend partly upon cemetery burial. Like any archive, cemeteries were highly curated collections, shaping legal contestations over residency, leadership, and land ownership.

Masculinized discourses of STEM interest, performance, and competence that shape university STEM students' recognition of a “STEM person”

AbstractHow individuals come to perceive themselves in STEM is predicated on their understanding of what it means to be a member of the STEM community. This association is consequential when considering the perpetuation of white male ownership of STEM knowledge and power that forces learners identifying with groups systemically marginalized by racial and gender discrimination to adopt particular norms, values, and behaviors to gain recognition. In effect, these expectations help to maintain masculinized Discourses as STEM professionals are encultured to apply the same recognition criteria to which they were judged themselves. We examine how these Discourses are maintained even as learners who identify with groups that carry histories of systemic marginalization by racist, sexist, and elitist practices gain access to STEM communities. Specifically, we explore how university STEM students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution in the United States articulate gendered expectations of STEM membership through their characterization of themselves and others as (not) STEM people. Drawing from theories in Discourse, social identity, and feminist critiques of science, we describe how students implicitly recognize STEM identity in gendered ways. We discuss how our findings illuminate the mechanisms by which STEM recognition is afforded by pointing to its dependence on masculinized displays of STEM performances, competence, and interests, leading to a cycle of marginalization as learners are encultured to perpetuate existing STEM Discourses in their recognition of others. We discuss research implications for measurements of STEM identity that do not account for gendered Discourses and offer practical implications for the design of learning experiences that co‐opt existing Discourses to inoculate gendered perceptions of a STEM person prototype. Lastly, we present a case for elevating the role of maternal caregivers and family immigration histories in STEM identity construction.

What’s new about new destinations? Cinderella states and the comparative study of migration

ABSTRACT Immigrant political incorporation is a concern of Europe and the U.S., but the process in the latter is seen as more successful owing to its immigration history, minority politics, and institutions. While comparative analysis has largely focused on post-war receiving states, since the 1990s, migration flows have significantly changed. What’s new about new destinations? And what might these cases suggest for the future of comparative research on political incorporation? This article uses existing frameworks for transatlantic comparisons and applies them to a broader pool of European cases. It argues that new destinations may have more in common with the U.S. than their old destination neighbors due to their emigration history, minority politics, and distinct welfare and labor institutions. It also finds more points of Europe-U.S. convergence than often allowed for in the literature. Together, this suggests opportunities for new comparative research to better understand incorporation dynamics within and beyond Europe.

Pancreatic Tuberculosis With Duodenal Fistula Presenting as Life-Threatening Gastrointestinal Bleeding

ABSTRACT Pancreatic tuberculosis (TB) warrants heightened suspicion in individuals with pancreatic lesions and risk factors such as HIV, organ transplantation, or pertinent immigration history. We present a 38-year-old man who presented with hemodynamically unstable gastrointestinal bleeding. He was found to have pancreatic TB complicated by a duodenal ulcer with fistula. Following 1 month of antitubercular therapy, he experienced complete resolution of symptoms, healing of the duodenal ulcer, closure of the fistulous tract, and a decrease in the size of the pancreatic lesion as observed on imaging. Our case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic TB.

Into the Stacks: Article Relaunch: “Power and Connection”: “An Indispensable Tool”: Reflections on Imperial Interpretations in Recent Immigration Histories

Published in 2011, Paul Kramer's “Power and Connection: Imperial Histories of the United States in the World,” has become something of a classic text in the historiography of the United States. Twelve years and nearly 400 citations after its publication, historians of the United States who specialize in everything from empire proper to foreign relations to labor and capitalism have looked to this article for methodological grounding, direction, and insight. Countless historians across many subfields have found their work imprinted by Kramer's call for a more systemic and deliberate engagement with the imperial, beyond the “superficial and invocatory” threads of previous generations, such as (though hardly exclusively) those found in the New Left and cultural studies traditions (1348).

Sociocultural predictors of immigrant adjustment and well-being.

Research shows that culture change may pose risks to immigrant wellbeing. Our study examined adult Georgians (N = 431) residing in Greece, Italy, and Germany, and explored associations between their demographic characteristics, sociocultural adjustment, and psychological well-being outcomes. Conducted via electronic self-report survey, the cross-sectional study measured participants' levels of sociocultural adjustment, psychological adjustment, and depression along with the willingness to interact with host nationals, perceived sense of discrimination, history of being undocumented, age and length of relocation, and fluency in host language. The study also examined differences in three subsamples from the standpoint of intercultural distance. Sociocultural Adjustment Scale, Brief Psychological Adaptation Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and Host Interaction Scale were used to measure the corresponding variables. Perceived history of discrimination was measured by a Likert-scale question about discrimination in a host country. Intercultural distance was established by Hofstede cultural compass and was estimated to be the smallest with Greece and the largest with Germany. Depression was positively predicted by histories of discrimination and illegal immigration, host language fluency upon relocation, and was negatively predicted by sociocultural adjustment. Psychological adjustment was positively predicted by sociocultural adjustment, willingness to interact with host nationals, and ongoing language fluency, while perceived sense of discrimination, age, and poor financial state acted as negative predictors. Finally, sociocultural adjustment acted as the strongest determinant of wellbeing predicting both lower depression and higher psychological adjustment. Our findings suggested that adjustment in diverse sociocultural domains was the most critical for the immigrants' psychological well-being along with the lack of perceived discrimination. Additional factors associated with the better adaptation outcomes included younger age, willingness to interact with host nationals, language fluency, better financial standing and no history of being undocumented. The results also indicated that host language proficiency upon relocation may contribute to migrant susceptibility, whereas intercultural distance may be overshadowed in importance by acculturation conditions. The findings illustrate the complexity of migration and culture change and point to the superiority of wholistic policies and practices in promoting smooth transition of immigrant populations.

Religious minority identity associates with stress and psychological health among Muslim and Hindu women in Bangladesh and London.

This study examined the association of minority religious identification (Hindu or Muslim) with self-reported stress and psychological symptoms among sedentee and immigrant Bangladeshi women. Women, aged 35-59 (n = 531) were drawn from Sylhet, Bangladesh and London, England. Muslim immigrants in London and Hindu sedentees in Sylhet represented minority religious identities. Muslim sedentees in Sylhet and Londoners of European descent represented majority religious identities. In bivariate analyses, minority religious identity was examined in relation to self-reported measures of stress, nervous tension, and depressed mood. Logistic regression was applied to examine the relationship between these variables while adjusting for marital status, parity, daily walking, and perceived financial comfort. In bivariate analyses, religious minorities reported more stress than religious majorities in all group comparisons (p < .05), and minority Muslims reported more nervous tension and depressed mood than majority Muslims (p < .05). In logistic regression models, minority Muslims had greater odds of high stress than majority Muslims (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.18-3.39). Minority Muslims had greater odds of stress (OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.51-6.17) and nervous tension (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.66-6.87) than majority Londoners. Financial comfort reduced odds of stress and symptoms in all models. Socioeconomic situation, immigration history, and minority ethnicity appear to influence the relationship between religious identity and psychosomatic symptoms in Bangladeshi women. Attention to personal and socioeconomic context is important for research examining the association between religion and mental health.

“Finding our Story”: Asian-Americans at the Mexican-American Border

In late 2021, a group of Asian-Americans came to the Mexican-American border to witness the dire situation that was facing asylum seekers who had been forced to stay in Mexico due to U.S. COVID restrictions. This research is grounded in the interviews of their experiences, which reveal a desire to see change at the border, the sense of dehumanization of migrant communities, and the role their faith serves in understanding migration. Additionally, the participants discuss how their own immigrant heritage is both similar and different to what they saw at the border and how this relates to the broader sense of solidarity among migrant communities. This study has relevance to the current discussion about immigration, integration, faith, and human rights, particularly in the U.S. context. Through the interviews, the common humanity and immigration history becomes clear.

The Impact of Martin Luther’s Religious Reform on the Conversion of New Chinese Immigrants to Christianity

Abstract Through a study of the M Church in Bangkok, this research paper explores the influence of Martin Luther’s Reformation spirit of freedom of religion on the conversion of new Chinese immigrants to Christianity. With the increase in the number of Chinese who have emigrated overseas since the reform and opening up, Christianity has become increasingly popular among new Chinese immigrants, and the concept of freedom of religion advocated by Martin Luther’s Reformation has played an active role in this process. This study first, introduces the background of Martin Luther’s Reformation and his advocacy of religious freedom. Then, the literature related to Martin Luther’s Reformation, the Christian faith of new immigrants in China, and the Christian faith of Chinese in Thailand is reviewed. Then, through field research, the history and current situation of the new Chinese immigrants’ participation in the M Church in Bangkok are analyzed, and the transmutation of their beliefs in this chapel is discussed. Through interviews and surveys, the paper further analyzes the reasons for the conversion of Chinese new immigrants to Christianity. The study shows that the concept of religious freedom advocated by Martin Luther’s Reformation has played a positive role in the conversion of Chinese new immigrants to Christianity. However, Chinese new immigrants face many difficulties and challenges in the process of converting to Christianity, such as understanding and identifying with the faith and understanding the cultural differences between China and the West. Therefore, this paper argues that the concept of religious freedom advocated by Martin Luther’s Reformation has played an important role in the conversion of new Chinese immigrants to Christianity, but this process also needs to be combined with the integration and development of traditional Chinese culture.