Women, migration and aging in the Americas, 19th-21th centuries

Venue: University of Cergy-Pontoise

This conference will be dedicated to the study of immigrant women’s destinies in the Americas and their experiences of dependence or autonomy through aging, retirement, and/or widowhood in the 19^th - 21^st centuries.

This international multidisciplinary conference will highlight the diversity of these women’s experiences and compare their evolving agency and empowerment across time (from the 19^th century until today), across places (migration to or within the Americas), and across spaces (private and/or private spheres, urban and/or rural environment, ethno-racial, religious, cultural contexts).

In this conference, various questions will be addressed regarding these women’s level of dependence or autonomy, as well as the types of solidarity and co-residence strategies between generations they experienced. Other important issues will certainly emerge out of the discussions such as: how can these women support themselves as they age, especially when they never worked and saved for retirement? Can they (or not) take care of themselves and therefore experience greater (or lower) agency and empowerment as they age? Or otherwise, do these immigrant women live different experiences depending on their origins, ethnicity, religion, culture, and residence in the Americas?

Some 12 international researchers have already accepted to participate to the event. They are from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

September 26 program

September 27 program