Marriage Immigration Market: Filipina/American Relationships

• In Event: 392 - Section on Asia and Asian America Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 04. Marriages, Markets, and Family

Abstract

The increasing number of Asian immigrant wives to the United States – the “feminization of migration” – has resulted in increased opportunities for commodification of intimacy by international marriage and immigration intermediaries. A preliminary interview with a couple Filipina/American couple illustrate how motivations for international marriage and immigration are manifested in desires for power and respect and transformation of habitus by both Filipina women and Western men. The structural forces of global capitalism also support the international marriage migration market as demonstrated in remittances from Filipino wives, and also in the development of international introduction websites, marriage brokers, romance tour agencies, and immigration visa consulting companies. This paper outlines motivations for international marriage immigration for Filipina women and American men and looks at the commodification of intimacy by marriage immigration intermediaries.

Author

• Katherine Hill, University of Texas-Austin