Marriage migration as happiness projects?: Africa-origin male marriage migrants’ experiences with marriage migration to Australia

ABSTRACT

This article focuses on Africa-origin male marriage migrants who settle in Australia through their inter-ethnic relationships with Australian women. Male marriage migrants, many of whom are from lower socio-economic backgrounds, expected to find happiness in their intimate intercultural relationships, and in their new and promising geographical and social contexts. This article is based on extensive interview data with these male marriage migrants and demonstrates that while men imagined that their lives in Australia with their intimate partners would be good, their everyday lived experiences turned out differently. For many of these men, marriage migration undermined their sense of self and understanding of what it means to be a man and a husband. Through the journey of marriage migration, their Australian spouses were bestowed with unforeseen power over them, challenging expected gender roles and resulting in a myriad of dependencies and ultimately unhappiness amongst the men. These findings are significant because male marriage migrants often are assumed to only be marrying for visa purposes instead of romantic reasons. This article investigates the often overlooked experiences of men from African countries who are pursuing Ahmed’s [(2010). The promise of happiness. Durham: Duke University Press.] ‘happiness project’ through marriage migration to Australia, experiences that are a factor in explaining relationship breakdowns.

KEYWORDS:

• Male marriage migrants
• cross-border relationships
• happiness projects
• masculinities
• Australia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).