News from WG1
By Tatjana Šarić (Croatian State Archives, Zagreb, Croatia) & Božena Miljić (University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro)
Working Group 1 (WG1) has made significant progress towards achieving its deliverables and objectives, with a particular focus on compiling a comprehensive catalogue of primary sources related to women’s migration in European archives, libraries, museums, and other heritage institutions. This catalogue, along with an accompanying online map hosted on WEMov’s website, serves as invaluable resources for researchers studying women’s migration paths and their impact on European history. As of February, substantial advances have been made to the catalogue, with the number of entries on primary sources nearly reaching 1,000 and representative collections on the online map surpassing 260. These resources are pivotal in facilitating research on women’s migration. WG1 members have been also actively involved in preparing the online publication of the catalogue and refining the typology of sources to enhance searchability and accessibility for users. The typologies have been incorporated into the catalogue, thus improving its visibility and aiding researchers in locating relevant materials for their areas of interest.
We are pleased to welcome our new members, Aiga Bērziņa-Kite from Latvia and Jennifer Redmond from Ireland, who have joined both our group and the WEMov community. The Working Group 1 maintains its monthly online meetings to review progress, engage in discussions about upcoming tasks, including the identification and description of primary sources in European archives and libraries, and further develop the online catalogue.
News from WG2
By Igor Lyman (Berdyansk State Pedagogical University, Ukraine) & Lívia Prosinger (Institute of Political History, Budapest, Hungary)
Working Group 2 (WG2) members continue to focus their main efforts on finding new landmarks and editing the Register of Migrant Women Landmarks – the base for creation of the Map of Women Migrants’ Landmarks. During the Christmas holidays, WG2 members actively worked on filling out the Google Form to create biocards. The last transcribathon on landmarks was organized for participants from all working groups of WEMov on January 26, 2024. Work on the preparation of the Catalogue of Landmarks continues. Besides, WG2 members participated in transribathons organized by otherWEMov projects.
News from WG3
By Tatiana Sitchinava (Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Georgia) & Lela Goginava (Center for Migration and Diaspora Studies, East European University of Georgia)
In our first newsletter of the year, we are thrilled to provide a comprehensive update on the latest strides made by Working Group 3 (WG3) in its mission to establish an extensive database incorporating statistical offices. Currently, 62 statistical offices from COST countries are registered. These offices play a pivotal role in enriching our understanding of various facets of migration, offering invaluable insights into key dimensions. Diverse and nuanced datasets have been curated, covering a spectrum of keywords that include age, citizenship, marital status, country of origin, deportation, labor migration, decision-making, and integration. These datasets serve as a repository of knowledge, providing a holistic perspective on the intricate dynamics of migration. As we navigate through the clarification and monitoring stage, our focus intensifies on the meticulous examination and refinement of data pertaining to female migrants.
The collaborative synergy among WG3 members remains at the forefront of our progress. Together, we engage in the extraction and in-depth analysis of this diverse information, recognizing its integral role in advancing our collective knowledge. Our commitment extends beyond data compilation; it extends to fostering informed discussions on the complexities of migration. Stay tuned for further updates as WG3 continues to navigate the intricate landscape of migration, amplifying our commitment to knowledge enrichment and collaborative exploration.
News from WG4
By Natalia Tariskova (University of Economics, Bratislava, Slovakia) and Jenny Bronstein (Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel)
Working Group 4 (WG4) is currently overseeing three pivotal projects: the “Map of Interviews”, the “Objects of Migration”, and Collaborative Publishing within our WG4 community.
Planning, coordination, reporting and implementation of WEMov’s video capsules into practice was the primary achievement at the final stage of GP4. Our existing database reached 57 videos and covered all 42 COST countries. Each video has dedicated biocard, timecodes and capsule. The interactive map continues to be showcasing WG4’s achievements, contributing to the broader success of the WEMov COST Action. It plays a pivotal role in uncovering, identifying, and describing motivation, life strategies, emotions, obstacles and hopes on the substantial impact of women’s mobility throughout European history and serves as a comprehensive database raising awareness on women’s migration across Europe.
The project “Objects of Migration” collects images, and videos of meaningful items in women migrants’ stories. We are still in the process of covering missing COST countries, which will soon be featured in a dynamic online exhibition, allowing visitors to deeply connect with these migration accounts through the objects exhibited. Our Collaborative Publishing endeavor is our third core initiative. We’re working on two papers for the Open Research Europe’s “Women on the Move” series, using the data collected in the interviews by WG4 members and highlighting themes like transnationalism, gender dynamics, women’s empowerment, and societal contribution. Papers are due in April.