From Laissez-Faire to Regulation

Abstract

To establish a context for understanding the situation of women immigrants today it might be helpful to begin with a brief overview of past immigration practices. The first point is obvious: immigration for women as well as men is not a recent phenomenon. Throughout history both men and women immigrated, sometimes as a family unit, sometimes independently. Ancient history is replete with stories of immigration: the establishment of Roman settlements in Britain and the Biblical account of the migration of the Jews from Egypt to Israel are just two of the most well-known accounts. These migrations included women. Archeological findings in Roman settlements in northern Europe indicate the presence of women and children, not just soldiers. There is similar evidence confirming the immigration of women elsewhere. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West and the creation of the Byzantine Empire, for example, there was extensive immigration in what is now Eastern Europe. Considerable evidence again points to women’s participation in these population movements. Throughout the Middle Ages there was substantial immigration throughout Europe, some of it temporary, some of it permanent. There were also massive immigrations of people from Central Asia, with Turkey being one of the major destinations. Here again archeological evidence and historical data indicate that women immigrated along with men.