From male labor migration to the migration of single women. A brief historical retrospective of Algerian immigration in France

Abstract

This article aims to give a brief historical retrospective on Algerian emigration, highlighting its main changes and transformations from its beginnings, towards the end of the 19th century, up to the present day. At the end of this historical overview, we explore, in more detail, one of the most characteristic aspects of this emigration in the early 21st century: the emergence of female migration. We will not only examine the phenomenon of women settling abroad, but also and most importantly the fact that these migratory projects are carried out by ‘single’ women. In other words, our interest will focus on Algerian women as migratory actors and not as companions of men, as was the case before.

Key-words: migratory actors, female migration, history of Algerian emigration, family reunification