Ebook

This volume presents a set of contributions on a fundamental and rarely studied subject related to the social and economic history of displacement in the Mediterranean from the Middle Ages to the early twentieth century. The book explores the methods through which individuals, groups, and communities facilitated the transfer of money, commodities, and people within, across and beyond the Mediterranean.At the core of this narrative are the historical figures who have significantly influenced and reshaped mobility in and around this region. Merchants, diasporic communities, and various institutions that have relocated, either temporarily or permanently, to different parts of the Mediterranean countries, its neighboring areas, or their colonies, play a central role in this story. Motivated by commercial requirements, religious convictions, or societal duties, many redirected resources from their host societies back to their families and original communities, aiming to mitigate the social, economic, and ethical repercussions of their displacement.The current historical discourse has paid considerable attention to the movement of material wealth, particularly concerning merchants and seafarers. Nevertheless, the exchange of material assets and the transfer of people, whether free or enslaved, inside different groups remains less understood. The majority of individuals who departed their native communities along the Mediterranean coastline sought economic prospects, social mobility, and sanctuary from religious and political persecution. Yet, few lost touch with their families and communities back home, recognizing their reliance on the financial support necessary for their survival. Remittances sent by various migrant groups often resulted in the sustenance and enhancement of life quality for family members, community groups, and religious institutions over great distances.Although remittances became a common practice among the numerous itinerant groups navigating the…

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