The Feminisation of Migration and the Practice of Religion
Issue: Vol.4 No.10 Article 6 pp.1232 – 1242
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20234106 | Published online 20th October, 2023
© 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The phenomenon of feminisation of migration, characterized by the increasing participation of women in international migration flows, has gained attention recently. This paper explored the interplay between feminisation of migration and religion, shedding light on the experiences of migrant women. It investigated how religion serves as a cultural anchor, resilience-building mechanism, and identity negotiator for female migrants. The paper thus outlined the global trend of rising female migration, discusses gender dynamics in migration, and highlights the challenges faced by migrant women in balancing faith practices and integration. It further examined the intersectionality of gender and religious identity, emphasizing the need for a nuanced analysis. The article explored how religious beliefs and practices contribute to the resilience and adaptation of migrant women, and how religion shapes their sense of self. It also explored the role of religious communities in providing support and facilitating community building among migrant women. The study showed that female migration empowers women, increases their control over mobility and rights, and their remittances can contribute significantly to economies. It revealed the multidimensional nature of feminisation of migration and the need for policy recommendations to improve the living and working conditions of migrant women. The paper increases understanding of the challenges faced by women during migration and highlights the importance of protecting and promoting women’s rights. It also notes the impact of women’s absence from home on gender roles and social dynamics.
Keywords: Feminisation, Migration, Practice of Religion, Religious Identities, Gendered Migration Pattern.
Ahmed, S, S Rahman, and S Khan. “Gender and Religion: An Intersectional Analysis of Bangladeshi Migrant Women in the United Kingdom.” Gender & Society 32, no. 4 (2018): 501–24.
Anthias, F. “New Hybridities, Old Concepts: The Limits of Culture.” Ethnic and Racial Studies 24, no. 4 (2001): 619–41.
Brettell, C. “Migration and the Negotiation of Identity: A Study of Dominican Women in New York City.” American Behavioral Scientist 43, no. 8 (2000): 1352–71.
Catholic News Agency. “Catholic Organizations Continue to Aid Migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border,” 2018. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/catholic-organizations-continue-to-aid-migrants-at-the-us-mexico-border-86661.
Chen, X, B Stanton, J Gong, X Fang, and X Li. “Social Support, Social Stigma and Depression among Caregivers of Children Affected by HIV/AIDS in Rural China.” AIDS Care 30, no. 12 (2018): 1526–33.
Crenshaw, K. “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory, and Antiracist Politics.” University of Chicago Legal Forum 140 (1989): 139–67.
Ellison, C. G, M Bradshaw, K. J Flannelly, and K Galek. “Prayer, Attachment to God, and Changes in Psychological Well-Being in Later Life.” Journal of Aging and Health 30, no. 4 (2018): 556–77.
Ghosh, R. “Religion, Culture, and Identity: Challenges Faced by Migrant Women.” Journal of Women’s Studies 45, no. 3 (2018): 321–35.
Hochschild, A. R. “Global Care Chains and Emotional Surplus Value.” In On the Edge: Living with Global Capitalism , 130–46. Routledge, 2000.
Hondagneu-Sotelo, P. Gendered Transitions: Mexican Experiences of Immigration. California: University of California Press, 1994.
Hondagneu-Sotelo, P. Religion and Social Justice for Immigrants. Rutgers University Press, 2007.
Huang, Y. “Language Barriers and Religious Practices: A Study on Migrant Women in the United States.” International Journal of Migration, Health, and Social Care 13, no. 2 (2017): 143–1566.
International Labour Organization. Global Employment Trends for Women. Geneva, 2012. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—dgreports/—dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_195447.pdf.
International Organization for Migration (IOM). “Gender and Migration.” UN Migration, 2020. https://www.iom.int/gender-and-migration.
———. “Migration and Religion: A Global Review,” 2020. https://publications.iom.int/system/files/pdf/migration_and_religion.pdf.
Islamic Relief. “Empowering Refugee Women,” 2019. https://www.islamic-relief.org/empowering-refugee-women/.
Jones, L. “Faith, Migration, and Resilience: The Role of Religion in the Lives of Migrant Women.” Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion 35, no. 2 (2019): 135–52.
Kofman, E. “Gendered Labour Migration in Europe.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 40, no. 5 (2006): 721–39.
Kofman, Eleonore, and Parvati Raghuram. “Gender and Global Labour Migrations: Incorporating Skilled Workers.” Antipode 38, no. 2 (March 2006): 282–303. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8330.2006.00580.x.
Li, J., and L. Wang. “The Influence of Community-Building Activities on the Self-Esteem and Social Integration of Migrant Women.” Journal of Community Psychology 47, no. 6 (2019): 1471–83.
Park, C. L. “Meaning and Growth in the Context of Trauma.” In The Human Quest for Meaning: Theories, Research, and Applications , edited by P. T. P. Wong and L. C. J. Wong, 229–44. Routledge, 2017.
Phan, S. “Negotiating Identity: Muslim Women in the Diaspora.” Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs 38, no. 4 (2018): 501–17.
Piper, N. “Gender, Migration, and Work: The Case of Trafficking.” Gender & Society 22, no. 6 (2008): 742–58.
Smith, J. “The Role of Education in Preserving Religious Identity.” Journal of Religious Education 42, no. 3 (2008): 245–57.
Smith, J, R Johnson, and P Williams. “Religion and Social Support Networks of Immigrant Women.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 43, no. 1 (2018): 1–18.
Smith, L. “The Impact of Migration on Religious Practices: A Case Study of Migrant Women in Australia.” Journal of Sociology 51, no. 4 (2015): 848–62.
Suarez, S. “Gender, Migration, and the Politics of Belonging: Women Migrants in Singapore.” Gender & Society 31, no. 5 (2017): 647–70.
United Nations. “Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration,” 2018. https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/migration-compact.
Abdussalam Alhaji Adam is a Lecturer in Islamic Studies at the Department of Human Values, University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
Adam, Abdussalam A. “The Feminisation of Migration and the Practice of Religion.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 4, no.10 (2023): 1232 – 1242. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20234106
© 2023 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).