History/Political Science paper by Venkovits, Balázs
Restricted, Undesirable, Illegal: The Inter-American Impact of Quotas on Hungarian Immigration to North America (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select): Paper presentationAbstract (max. 250 words):
When the US Congress passed the Emergency Quota Act in 1921 and the Immigration Act (Johnson–Reed Act) in 1924 the measures introduced were largely aimed at limiting immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe and they clearly impacted the Hungarian migration trajectory. The paper looks back at the events taking place 100 years ago and assesses their impact on Hungarian immigration using an inter-American approach. It focuses on the 1920s, an era that often serves as the end of similar studies, and looks at US and Canadian policies together, this way providing novel insights into Hungarian immigration to North America. During this period Hungarian immigrants shifted categories between desired and undesirable, legal and illegal, restricted and deported among others and the migration pathway of Hungarians who wished to go to North America was transformed entirely with Canada becoming more attractive than before either as a springboard to the US or as a permanent destination. The paper reveals how these shifting categories and pathways were intertwined in the United States and Canada when it came to Hungarian immigration and also highlights how various aspects of current immigration debates have their roots in trends evolving 100 years ago. The paper also introduces a so far neglected topic when it addresses the issue of Hungarian illegal immigration on the US-Canada border in the 1920s.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Balázs Venkovits is associate professor and director of the Institute of English and American Studies, University of Debrecen and head of the Canadian Studies Centre. He earned his Ph.D. in 2014 and completed his habilitation in 2021. Among others, he is the recipient of OTKA (2022-26) and Jedlik (2013-14) grants, a JFK Research Fellowship (2013) and a Fulbright (2010-2011). His academic interests include travel writing studies, migration studies, US-Hungarian relations, and Hungarian immigration to North America. He has presented and published papers internationally in Hungary, Finland, the US, Mexico, Poland, the UK, and France.