Seeking paper presenters/panelists for a panel on European Migration to the United States (and Canada) 1945-1965 for the Social Science History Association's Annual Meetings in Boston, November 17-20, 2011.
The panel seeks to explore European migration in the period between the end of World War II and American Immigration Reform in 1965. Although there was substantial migration, especially in the period between 1945-1958, this period has received relatively little attention in the migration literature. Among the people leaving Europe behind were groups given special consideration, e.g. displaced persons, war brides, German rocket scientists, refugees from Communist Europe, especially Hungary, and ordinary "economic" migrants immigrating under the existing national origins quota system of 1924. Placing this period into a larger framework of 20th century migration from Europe to America, this panel seeks to address a variety of questions. To what extent, if any, were the patterns of European migration different from previous and subsequent periods ad what larger lessons might help to illuminate current theory? Papers might focus on particular groups (e.g. Hungarian refugees, war brides, displaced persons), comparisons between groups, or political issues and debates concerning American immigration and refugee policy and their effect on restricting or encouraging immigration. While there are numerous memoirs of post-war European immigrants, there is little systematic work about their and their children' patterns of settlement and integration. How did these groups and their children become part of the fabric of American society? What was the role played by their race and ethnic characteristics in this process? How much contact did they have with co-ethnics from previous migrations? To what extent did they and their children retain their language and ethnic identity?
Barbara Schmitter Heisler
Department of Sociology
Send comments and questions to H-Net
Webstaff. H-Net reproduces announcements that have been submitted to us as a
free service to the academic community. If you are interested in an announcement
listed here, please contact the organizers or patrons directly. Though we strive
to provide accurate information, H-Net cannot accept responsibility for the text of
announcements appearing in this service. (Administration)