Buch, Englisch, Band 193/08, 214 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 508 g
Reihe: Studies in Critical Social Sciences / New Scholarship in Political Economy
An Ethnography of (Un)Happiness
Buch, Englisch, Band 193/08, 214 Seiten, Format (B × H): 155 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 508 g
Reihe: Studies in Critical Social Sciences / New Scholarship in Political Economy
ISBN: 978-90-04-46275-5
Verlag: Brill
In African-Australian Marriage Migration: An Ethnography of (Un)happiness, Henrike A. Hoogenraad follows journeys of marriage migration among African-Australian couples. The study narrates these journeys as ‘happiness projects’, since for cross-border couples, happiness is connected to dreams for a life-long partnership that begins with the visa application. Yet, happiness is invoked as an aspired state rather than an achieved goal. The obstacles of government bureaucracy, institutional and everyday racism, and unrealistic expectations of romance prevent the hoped-for happy endings. This monograph upsets a ‘scam artist’ narrative that generalises migrant men and their sponsoring partners, and which obscures the difficult process of crossing borders both physical and intimate. Hoogenraad’s work is a welcome contribution to anthropological literature on marriage migration.
Autoren/Hrsg.
Fachgebiete
- Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Familiensoziologie
- Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Ethnologie Ethnographie
- Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Volkskunde Minderheiten, Interkulturelle & Multikulturelle Fragen
- Sozialwissenschaften Soziologie | Soziale Arbeit Spezielle Soziologie Soziologie von Migranten und Minderheiten
Weitere Infos & Material
Acknowledgement
Chapter 1: Introduction
Conceptualizing marriage migration
Marriage migration as a happiness project
Dark anthropology and an anthropology of happiness
Critical Race Theory: a framework for obstructions to happiness in Australia
Chapter overview
Chapter 2: Setting the scene
Introduction
From white Australia to ‘multiculturalism’
Migration from the African continent to Australia
‘African’ men in Adelaide
Methods of data collection
Researcher positionality
Chapter 3: Love, romance and happiness
Introduction
Jacob’s love story
Conceptualizing romantic love
Cross-border love stories
Recollections of beautiful beginnings
Visions of Australia
Distance makes the heart grow fonder
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Couples’ experiences with visa procedures
Introduction
That gut feeling
Genuine relationships and the (Australian) border
Defining genuineness
Applying for a Partner visa in Australia
Couples’ experiences with the visa application process
Dealing with regulations, time and money
Accumulating evidence and anxiety
And finally, the interview
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Cross-border couples and everyday racism
Introduction
“Be careful with African men”
Everyday racism and everyday prejudice
Cross-border couples’ experiences with everyday racism
Men’s experiences with everyday racism
Women’s experiences with everyday racism
Couples and Australian relatives
Couples and their African relatives
African communities in Australia and everyday racism
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Migrant men and intimate relationships
Introduction
Looking for happiness, finding sadness
Male marriage migrants
Experiences of marriage migration among migrant men
Expectations of the relationship
Isolation and homesickness
Moving up and down the socioeconomic ladder
Work and finances
Controlling wives and the regaining of masculinity
Conclusion
Chapter 7: Sponsoring women and intimate relationships
Introduction
An unhappy wife
White Australian women and relationship expectations
Experiences of marriage migration among sponsoring women
Bodies and relationships
Cultural compatibility
Unhappy relationships
Conclusion
Conclusion: Life after permanent residency
Migrant men: separations and moving on
Sponsoring women: separations and moving on
The happy ones: narratives of companionship
References
Index
