Commercially Arranged Marriage Migration

Abstract

This article problematises the discourses on commercially arranged marriages, commonly seen as a form of trafficking in women or mail-order brides (MOB), by focusing on a less discussed aspect of commercial marriage migration—namely, the matchmaking and/or marriage brokerage operation. Drawing upon empirical studies of marriages between Taiwanese men and women from South-East Asia and the People's Republic of China, I look at the changing operations of the marriage brokerage industry, the relations between the actors involved prior to, during and after matchmaking and marriage, and the actors’ own perceptions of these operations. The main arguments are that: (a) the marriage brokers play a key role in motivating potential brides/grooms to enter into international marriages and give shape to their preferences in mate choice; and (b) cross-border marriage migration has taken on a very traditional form, involving complex, localised social networks in which women play an active role. As a result, the brokering industry goes beyond mere commercial activities to involve the other types of social relations that are sustained throughout the marriage. Finally, I argue that (c) money ‘transactions’ at the time of a wedding do not necessarily make women a traded ‘commodity’.