Memories of Migration: Gender, Ethnicity, and Work in the Lives of Jewish and Italian Women in New York, 1870-1924 (Women and Work

by Kathie Friedman-Kasaba

Offers a comparative historical study of women’s migration from Russia and Italy to New York at the turn of the 20th century. Taking an interdisciplinary and global perspective, the book examines the causes and consequences of women’s migration, contrasting the adaptation experiences of Jewish and Italian women. "The author provides a brilliant integration of world-system, migration, race and gender literature to recast the experiences of women migrants/immigrants. This is a first-rate synthesis and pathbreaking analysis of a broad literature that will have an impact across sociology, history, demography, social work, etc. This is a major contribution to world-system and gender studies where world-system researchers have for the most part ignored women's lives and for gender researchers who have ignored global economic contexts." -- Kathryn Ward, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale "The book is highly readable, comprehensive, and more importantly, lively for an introduction to the experience of immigrant women at the turn of the century. It provides both general and specific information for American and European scholars from a variety of disciplines, such as women's studies, political science, history, economics, and sociology. The feminist interpretations of the issues and problems involving the international movement of female workers is a major strength of this book." -- Joyce Tang, University of Vermont The migrant has been designated the central or defining figure of the 20th century. Yet, for much of this period, research and theory have centered on adult men as representative, ignoring women's part in international migration. Weaving together history, theory, and immigrant women's own words, Memories of Migration reveals women's multifaceted participation in the mass migrations from eastern and southern Europe to the United States at the turn of the century. By focusing on women's responses to Americanization organizations, coethnic community networks, and income-producing opportunities, this book provides rich insight into the sources of immigrant women's distinct fates in America.

254 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1996

Reviews

[Ram · Rating 1 out of 5]

The big reveal is that immigrant women in this period faced many of the same issues -- even though some were Italian and some were Jewish (and presumably, some were Italian Jews)! Wow! And the author found some people who could talk about what Nana told them about coming over on the big steamship! Now THAT'S a spicy matzoh ball!!

[Gabriel Conroy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might be inclined to give this book only one star. But, besides its horrendus writing, it merely commits the same cliches as other books on early 20th century immigration: "eastern and southern Europeans" immigrated to the U.S. and blah blah blah.