This important book addresses a significant gap in studies about pre-Genocide Armenian migration from the Ottoman Empire, including departures and illegal return visits. Using a wide variety of archival material, this accessible text provides a rich and complex account of clandestine and illegal migration, reminding us that such population movements are not unique to recent times. David Gutman’s The Politics of Armenian Migration to North America explores how both Ottoman and American policies changed between 1885 and 1915, at times in opposition, eventually converging to block movement. The migrants are shown using agency and ingenuity, striving to accomplish their goals of sustaining selves and families. Gutman reveals inter-relations between the Empire’s ethno-religious groups with a network of smugglers facilitating the movement, Armenians occupying critical though fragile and changing positions in this important underground economy.
The book explores the driving forces behind this risk-laden migration, demonstrating the importance of family-centred life for Ottoman Armenians. The backlash generated by this mobility, from the Ottoman Empire and later the U.S. government, mirrors what would become the default 20th century response to migrants and refugees, continuing today. As Gutman points out, migrants would have chosen to stay home, had they been allowed to prosper.
Review by Susan P. Pattie
Originally written for Zanazan Magazine Issue 1