A Neglected Number: American Women's Immigration Experience in Canada During the Vietnam War

        While substantial research has been devoted towards the emigration experience of American males who left for Canada for various reasons during the Vietnam War, minimal work has examined the role of women among this migrant group.  This project will serve to understand the experience of American women who immigrated to Canada during the Vietnam War.  Draft-age American women in the anti-war movement of the 1960's and early 1970's are the focus of this study.  This project will serve to examine these women's roles in the anti-war movement and the extent to which it impacted, both before and after relocation, those American women who migrated to Canada.  Though the Vietnam War spanned over two decades, most immigration to Canada took place between 1964-1974.  This is the temporal domain of the project.

        Though normative arguments will probably not be formulated in this project, there are many reasons as to why this study is worthwhile.  Besides the obvious negation of women in most scholarly literature on American immigration to Canada during the Vietnam War, this project is important because of its timely nature.  With the very recent war in Iraq, the evaluation of anti-war responses are most interesting to the younger generation which have just experienced their first war as adults.  This is important as talks of reinstating the draft came about in some college classrooms shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001.  If this occurred, when, if ever, would women be a part of the draft?  Considering that only recently have women played a major role in America’s military efforts in war, the level of involvement of women in war is an evolving area of interest.  Lastly, since the election of president George W. Bush, I’ve personally felt more detached, disappointed, and unpatriotic than ever before.  My continuous disappointment with this nation as a whole and with Bush in particular have propelled me to consider, part in jest, part in all seriousness, migrating to Canada.  How would my life be different?  How would my life be the same?  All these are reasons why this project is timely and worthwhile.