Dr. Marilyn Barber

Biography

Marilyn Barber is an adjunct research professor at Carleton University, specializing in the history of immigration, women's history, and oral history. She obtained her B.A. and M.A. from Queen's University and her Ph.D. from the University of London, where she was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship in the 1960s. Barber's research interests include the experiences of immigrants in Canada, particularly female migrants from England, Scotland, Ireland, and European countries during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. She co-authored the book 'Invisible Immigrants: English Canada 1945' with Dr. Murray Watson, focusing on English migrants' stories and the systemic differences they faced upon arriving in Canada. Her work draws on interviews, government documents, and archival records to reconstruct the lives and migration experiences of these individuals, especially domestic servants. Currently, she collaborates on a major research project with Professor Marjory Harper from the University of Aberdeen, examining the links between immigration and mental health from the nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. Her contributions have been recognized in various publications and interdisciplinary colloquiums, emphasizing her significant role in understanding the historical context of immigration in Canada.

Research Interests