Skip to content
1981
Volume 21, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 1476-413X
  • E-ISSN: 1758-9509

Abstract

Through the case of Montemor-o-Novo, a municipality of the rural interior of southern Portugal, we aim to contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon of emigration to Switzerland, Germany and France that occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. We identify the causes and obstacles to the departure of young adults, situating them within the economic and political reality of the Alentejo region and the country as a whole. We explore the immigration destinations of Portuguese people to the light of the various migration policies of these countries. Additionally, we analyse the challenges faced by immigrants in the host countries and how they overcame them, as well as the type of work in which they engaged. We outline the motivations for returning to Portugal and the reasons for the ongoing connection they maintain with their country of immigration. Finally, we endeavour to assess the socio-economic impact of emigration on national life and to contextualize the national migratory phenomenon within the broader European socio-economic landscape.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/pjss_00051_1
2025-03-10
2025-04-25
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Alves, R. C. A. (1996), ‘Emigrantes portugueses na Alemanha: As ficções e os factos’ (‘Portuguese emigrants in Germany: Fictions and facts’), master’s dissertation, Lisbon: Universidade Aberta.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Antunes, J. F. (1996), A Guerra de África (1961–74) (‘The African War [1961–74]’), Lisbon: Temas e Debates.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Branco, J. P. (1986), A Estrutura da Comunidade Portuguesa em França (‘The structure of the Portuguese community in France’), Porto: Secretaria de Estado das Comunidades Portuguesas.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Cayetano Rosado, M. (2016), ‘Los años sessenta en la raya extremeño-alentejana: Entre pobreza, represión y emigración’ (‘The 1960s on the Extremadura-Alentejo border: Between poverty, repression and emigration’), in A. Muñoz, F. J. Rodríguez and G. León (eds), El Portugal Salazarista Frente a la Democracia (‘Salazarist Portugal in the face of democracy’), Badajoz: Djputación de Badajoz, pp. 11143.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Ferreira, A. C. S. da (2009), ‘A emigração portuguesa e as políticas migratórias europeias’ (‘Portuguese emigration and European migration policies’), master’s dissertation, Aveiro: Universidade de Aveiro.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Fonseca, T. (2007), A Memória das Mulheres: Montemor-o-Novo em Tempo de Ditadura (‘The memory of women: Montemor-o-Novo in a time of dictatorship’), Lisbon: Colibri.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Fonseca, T. (2008), ‘José Adelino dos Santos e a resistência à ditadura em Montemor-o-Novo’ (‘José Adelino dos Santos and the resistance to the dictatorship in Montemor-o-Novo’), Almansor, 7:2, pp. 21727.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Fonseca, T. (2015), Custódio Gingão: Um Percurso de Cidadania (‘Custódio Gingão: A journey of citizenship’), Lisbon: Colibri.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Fonseca, T. (2018a), ‘A emigração portuguesa sob as ditaduras de Salazar e Caetano’ (‘Portuguese emigration under the Salazar and Caetano dictatorships’), O Pelourinho: Boletín de Relaciones Transfronterizas, 22:2, pp. 16585.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Fonseca, T. (2018b), Histórias de Vida no Portugal do Século XX: Estudantes da Universidade Sénior do Grupo dos Amigos de Montemor-o-Novo (‘Life stories in 20th Century Portugal: Students from the Senior University of the Friends Group of Montemor-o-Novo’), Lisbon: Colibri.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Imprensa Nacional (1964), Acordos Relativos ao Recrutamento e Colocação de Trabalhadores Portugueses em França e na Alemanha (‘Agreements on the Recruitment and Placement of Portuguese Workers in France and Germany’), Lisbon: Imprensa Nacional.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Leeds, A. (1983), ‘Agricultura, política nacional, subdesenvolvimento e migração em três regiões de Portugal’ (‘Agriculture, national policy, underdevelopment and migration in three regions of Portugal’), Análise Social, XX:77–79, pp. 102343.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Marques, J. C. L. (2008a), ‘Os novos movimentos migratórios portugueses: O caso da emigração portuguesa para a Suíça’ (‘The new Portuguese migratory movements: The case of Portuguese emigration to Switzerland’), Ph.D. thesis, Coimbra: Universidade de Coimbra.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Marques, J. C. L. (2008b), Os Portugueses na Suíça: Migrantes Europeus (‘Portuguese in Switzerland: European migrants’), Lisbon: Instituto de Ciências Sociais.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Migrantes (Caixa Geral de Segurança Social dos Trabalhadores Migrantes) (1971), Guia Para os Trabalhadores Portugueses na Alemanha Federal (‘A guide for Portuguese workers in the Federal Republic of Germany’), Lisbon: Caixa Geral de Segurança Social dos Trabalhadores Migrantes.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Pereira, M. H. (1981), A Política Portuguesa de Emigração 1850–1930 (‘Portuguese emigration policy [1850–1930]’), Lisbon: A Regra do Jogo.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Pereira, G. (1985), Comunidade portuguesa em França. Algumas observações com base nas respostas obtidas a um inquérito às associações Portuguesas (‘Portuguese Community in France. Some Observations Based on Responses to a Survey of Portuguese Associations’), Porto: Secretaria de Estado da Emigração.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Pereira, V. (2014), A Ditadura de Salazar e a Emigração: O Estado Português e os seus Emigrantes em França (1957–64) (‘The Salazar dictatorship and emigration: The Portuguese State and its emigrants in France [1957–64]’), Lisbon: Temas e Debates/ Círculo de Leitores.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Raimundo, G. (1981), Construtores de Pontes, Usinas e Maisons (Crónicas da Emigração) (‘Builders of bridges, factories and houses [emigration chronicles]’), Estoril: Edições MIC.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Ribeiro, F. G. C. (1986), Emigração Portuguesa: Algumas Características Dominantes dos Movimentos no Período de 1950 a 1984 (‘Portuguese emigration: some dominant characteristics of movements between 1950 and 1984’), Porto: Secretaria de Estado das Comunidades Portuguesas.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Rosas, F. (1994), História de Portugal: O Estado Novo (1926–1974). Vol. 7 (‘History of Portugal: The New State [1926–1974]. Vol. 7’), Lisbon: Estampa.
  22. Secretaria de Estado da Emigração e Comunidades Emigração (1985), A Emigração Portuguesa: Dados Estatísticos Retrospetivos 1960–82 (‘Portuguese emigration: Retrospective statistical data [1960–82]’), Lisbon: Secretaria de Estado da Emigração e Comunidades Emigração.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Serrão, J. ([1972] 1982), A Emigração Portuguesa (‘Portuguese emigration’), Lisbon: Horizonte.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/pjss_00051_1
Loading
  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): colonial war; dictatorship; emigration; France; Germany; Portugal; Switzerland
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test