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Jill Bender, de University of North Carolina at Greensboro, présentera sa communication “The 'Marriage Force': Mid-nineteenth-century Irish female migration to southern Africa” le jeudi 28 février de 17h30 à 19h30. Maison de la Recherche, 28 rue Serpente, Paris 6e , salle D421.Abstract:  During the mid-nineteenth century, colonial officials proposed sending  impoverished Irish women to the distant colonies of the British Empire,  where they might marry restless settlers. On the surface, these  migration schemes appeared to benefit both Ireland and the colonies of  destination, including Australia, Canada, and southern Africa. According  to colonial officials, Ireland would be rid of a superfluous  population, the Irish women would attain social and economic  advancement, and the colonies would gain much-needed female migrants.  Yet, authorities quickly found their optimism tempered by realities, as  they faced difficulties posed by religious and cultural differences  before the migrant ships had even departed. In this paper, Jill Bender  examines an 1850s migration scheme designed to send Irish women to marry  members of the British German Legion in southern Africa. Her study not  only addresses questions of migration and gender, but also explores the  ways in which local concerns in Britain and Ireland could and did shape  imperial policies. Discutante : Marie Ruiz (Université Jules Verne, Amiens)