This volume investigates the historical role of women within global labor migration patterns, challenging male-centric narratives that have long dominated the field. Pamela Sharpe, a noted historian of migration and gender, compiles interdisciplinary research to demonstrate how female mobility has been a consistent, yet often overlooked, driver of economic and social change across centuries. The book argues that by centering gender, scholars can better understand the complexities of labor markets, household survival strategies, and the structural forces that dictate human movement.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of gender and mobility in economic history. The text is recognized for its academic rigor and its success in filling significant gaps in the historiography of global labor migration.