The Role and Functionality of Regional Migration Networks over the 20th Century. The Case Study of the Strzyżów District

The aim of the paper is to analyse migration networks from the mezzo- and microsocial perspective on the example of the Strzyżów district in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. The research focuses on the ties between migrants and people who do not actively participate in international movements. Migration networks from the Strzyżów district are analysed in a comparative framework from the following perspectives: 1) diachronic, in relation to contemporary migration flows, as well as those of the early 20th century, 2) synchronous, taking into account internal and external networks of the studied villages and towns. Comparative analysis is based on both primary and secondary sources. The data describing migration flows at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries originate mainly from the Ellis Island Archives. Based on the analysis of passenger lists, which is also available on the Archive’s website, I managed to reach more than 4000 immigrants from the examined localities of the Srzyżow district, who left for the United States between 1873 and 1924. As far as modern migrants are concerned, data was collected using various methods: ethnosurvey, participant observations and in-depth interviews. The research was conducted from both perspectives: country of origin (Poland) and country of destination (United States).