Synopses & Reviews
The political and social activism of immigrants to Europe since 1945 takes the spotlight in this volume. Each of the twelve chapters draws on fresh research from international scholars who cover such conflict-ridden themes as autonomous migrant organizing and transnational activism. From Afro-Asian student protests and the sans-papiers movement to the labor unions, political parties, and feminist groups, the chapters offer a riveting look at a variety of migrant experiences in Europe. They also provide compelling material for a welcome comparison of the impact of migration on European countries as diverse as Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, and Italy.
Review
"Pojmann's volume is a 'must-read' for anyone hoping to understand the myriad issues facing immigrant communities in Europe. The essays show immigrants as vital political and social actors with a dynamic role to play in Western Europe. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars across disciplines."--Lori Marso, Professor of Political Science, Union College
"Wendy Pojmann's collection of essays reminds us that migrants are political actors, which we too often forget, and rarely study. The fact is universal, but historical and national contexts, migrants' situation and gender, shape their political agenda and activities. Only a truly comparative and multidisciplinary endeavor such as this, could then allow us to grasp the complexity and diversity of migrant politics in Western Europe during the last half-century and still capture the common dynamics at work in European post-colonial societies. The authors offer us an exciting new field of investigation and some solid guidelines."--Dr. Philippe Rygiel, Center for Twentieth Century Social History, University of Paris I (Sorbonne)
Synopsis
The political and social activism of immigrants to Europe since 1945 takes the spotlight in this volume. Each chapter draws on research from international scholars, offering a riveting look at a variety of migrant experiences and providing welcome comparisons of the impact of migration on different countries.
About the Author
Wendy Pojmann is Assistant Professor of modern European history at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. She is the author of Immigrant Women and Feminism in Italy (2006).
Table of Contents
Introduction--Wendy Pojmann * PART I: MIGRANT ACTIVISTS IN NATIONAL AND TRANSNATIONAL SOCIAL MOVEMENTS * For the Nation and for Work: Black Activism in 1960s Paris--Felix Germain * Dissident Guests: Afro-Asian Students and Transnational Activism in the West German Protest Movement--Quinn Slobodian * The Kurdish Conundrum in Europe: Political Opportunities and Transnational Activism--Vera Eccarius-Kelly * The French “Sans-Papiers” Movement: An Unfinished Struggle--Jane Freedman * PART II: MIGRANT ACTIVISTS IN TRADE UNIONS AND PARTY POLITICS * The Example of a Communist Paper Aimed at Algerian Immigrants: L'Algérien en France (1950-1960)--Caroline Izambert * Parties of Muslim Persuasion and the Left in Ceuta, Spain--Gabriel Alejandro Torres Colón * Immigrants and the Brussels Labor Movement: Activism, Integration and Exclusion since 1945--Eva Schandevyl * “From Camel-boy to MP:” The Politics of Agency and Exclusion in Swedish Political Parties--Magnus Dahlstedt * PART III: MIGRANT ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS IN OUTSIDER POLITICS * State Management of Immigrant Organizations in Sweden--Olgu Karan * “We're right here!” The Invisibility of Migrant Women in European Women's Movements: The Case of Italy--Wendy Pojmann * The Political Participation of Berlins Turkish Migrants in the Dual Citizenship and Headscarf Debates: A Multi-Level Comparison--Anna Boucher * French Dressing: Race, Gender, and the Hijab Story--Judith Ezekiel