News from WG1
By Tatjana Šarić (Croatian State Archives, Zagreb, Croatia) & Katelin Marit Parsons (Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, Reykjavík, Iceland)
Working Group 1 has continued to meet monthly online to discuss the progress of our group and plan future tasks: finding and describing primary sources in European archives and libraries, building the future online catalogue, preparing the typology of sources, and working on a joint article. The most important of our deliverables is our catalogue of primary sources on women’s migration in European archives and the associated online map on WEMov’s website. By October, we had succeeded in significantly increasing the number of entries on primary sources in our catalogue to over 770 and the number of representative collections on the online map to over 160. Both of these are essential guides for researchers of women’s migration paths and their impact on Europe’s history. WG1 members are working on another significant objective: preparing the catalogue’s publication online and working on the typology of sources to make the catalogue searchable and more accessible for users. Co-publishing is another primary WG1 goal, and we’re preparing a joint article on catalogue building and experiences in searching for women migrants in the archives. The paper will be submitted for publishing to the ORE platform.
The following grant period will see changes to our leadership. With rolling leadership, Katelin will step down as co-leader, and Božena will take her place. So, thank you, Katelin, for all your work, and Božena, welcome to the new position!
News from WG2
By Igor Lyman (Berdyansk State Pedagogical University, Ukraine) & Lívia Prosinger (Institute of Political History, Budapest, Hungary)
The main efforts of Working Group 2‘s members continued to be concentrated on work on the Register of Migrant Women Landmarks – the base for creation of the Map of Women Migrants’ Landmarks which is key to visualise the data about commemorations of women migrants. In order to include as many landmarks as possible on the interactive map that commemorates migrant women, WG2 members have created biocards, which, after proofreading and editing, will be uploaded to the map on the WEMov website. Another one of our deliverables is the publication of an article on the on-going Register of Migrants Women’s Landmarks, and an analysis of the results found so far. This will provide a road map to other researchers who would want to navigate the dataset on the one hand, and will ensure our project becomes more visible, therefore enhancing the visibility of these migrant women’s landmarks. Weekly writing sessions – coordinated by Bénédicte Miyamoto – were held over the months of July and September, coinciding with troubleshooting on the Register as the writing unfolded and refined our register categories. Writing conjointly on the same document, participants form the WG2 group are assigned micro-tasks at each session, and discussed results as a group. This proved an effective and dynamising strategy, in line with the WEMov COST Action’s reliance on transcribathons and virtual meetings. Supported by a DataNote which accompanies an open access dataset of the results so far, this article will be submitted by December to ORE (Open Research Europe), the dedicated publishing platform for Horizon Europe beneficiaries.
News from WG3
By Selma Smajlović (University in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina) & Nina Drejerska (Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)
Working Group 3‘s meetings took place on June 27 (online), September 22-23 (in-person, Riga, Latvia), and September 29, 2023 (online). WG3 members continue to successfully collect quantitative sources and datasets on female migration, completing the entries, and determining how quantitative data can be used for the purpose of fulfilling project goals, as valuable online data source for all WEMov researchers and worldwide, as well as for co-authors of articles and scientific publications. One of the expected outcomes is to have all COST member countries represented in the Register of Datasets with data sources on female migration and contact information of providers in the Register of National Statistical Offices, which should increase the visibility of WG3 results. By the end of September 2023, the result of 195 entries in the Register of Datasets was reached and 100 databases were uploaded. Most of the COST countries are now represented in the Register of Datasets (47 countries are represented and 4 countries are underrepresented or missing data). Ongoing efforts are set to focus on collecting data concerning female migration for the missing countries and specific categories, such as education and the labor market, as well as work permits. The Register of National Statistical Offices counts 50 entries with 44 countries represented and provides contact information for statistical offices and other institutions that offer valuable data about female migration. Another key objective involves expanding the List of statistical offices and other institutions providing information about female migration. This expansion will include entities such as ministries of state security, ministries of migration, ministries of refugees and displaced persons, offices of migration, and more. The forthcoming agenda entails the creation of biocards based on the existing list of national statistical offices and new providers. Ultimately, this will lead to the development of an online map of statistical institutes, accessible through WEMov’s website. The Datasets transcribathon took place on June 27 via Zoom and resulted in an increase in data sources registered and data collected by all network members. We look forward to gathering again on 20 October 2023, when the Datasets transcribathonis planned. The next WG3 meeting is scheduled via Zoom on 27 October, 23 November, and 15 December 2023.
News from WG4
By Stellamarina Donato (LUMSA University, Rome, Italy) and Jenny Bronstein (Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel)
Working Group 4 is currently overseeing three pivotal projects: the “Map of Interviews” the “Objects of Migration”, and Collaborative Publishing within our WG4 community. Our “Map of Interviews” seeks to capture the intricate narratives and trials of migrant women. With 23 interviews to date, we’ve initiated a mentorship scheme to recruit interviewees in the COST countries that have yet to be represented in the map. Notably, a webinar led by Jenny Bronstein enlightened us on effective interview techniques. Committed to representing every country, our map is updated frequently to include diverse migration experiences. The interviews conducted so far are also available on WEMov’s Youtube channel in a dedicated playlist. The project “Objects of Migration” collects images, and videos of meaningful items in women migrants’ stories. We’ve amassed poignant narratives from 16 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 four 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. Through our projects, we aim to highlight the diverse experiences of women’s migration in Europe, fostering understanding and appreciation for their stories. Meeting monthly, we aim, by year’s end, to broaden the COST countries’ presence in our projects.