Introducing Cross-Border Marriage Migration

Abstract

This book takes a broad view of the global phenomenon of cross-border marriage migration and attempts to highlight the migration choices and strategies of individuals, families and communities within political, legal, social and economic structures. It attempts to analyse patterns of migration from the perspectives of the migrants themselves and, using mostly secondary data, will discuss how marriage across borders may mould the migration patterns of individuals and communities. Throughout the book I start from the assumption that citizenship of countries from the Global South is a disadvantage in terms of global migration as, in general, all but the elites of these countries, are disqualified from the migration opportunities that citizens of the developed enjoy. I emphasise, however, that connection to countries of the Global South may confer other attributes that open channels of migration which can be exploited by would-be migrants. By focusing on the migration stories of migrants, this book aims to improve understanding of how migration may be negotiated as well as learn about the affects of migration on migrants and those connected to them. Cross-border marriage migration provides a case study for these far-reaching issues as it is a truly global phenomenon and one which sees migrants moving between the developing countries of the world as well as between developing and developed countries.