The ‘Mangetar Trap’? Work, family and Pakistani migrant husbands

Abstract

Contemporary immigration from Pakistan to the UK often takes the form of marriage migration, as substantial numbers of British men and women of Pakistani ethnicity marry partners from Pakistan. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative evidence, this paper explores experiences of Pakistani men migrating to the UK through marriage, revealing a complex of social and economic pressures in the early months and years post-migration, here referred to as the 'Mangetar Trap'. Migration can have contradictory implications for masculinitypresenting both opportunities and challenges for gendered aspirations. The existing research literature reveals instances of migrant men using the former to compensate for the latter. For some recently arrived Pakistani migrant husbands in Britain, however, particular combinations of socioeconomic position, time poverty, social marginalisation and family relationships can constrain their available options. In the longer term, such men may find routes to improving their situations, but exploration of these early constraints is valuable in cautioning against an over-emphasis on agency in research on migrant masculinity.

Transnational Migration Aspirations, Educational Capabilities, Marriage Preferences, and Health Outcomes: A Mixed-Methods Study Among Pakistani youth

“…There are further studies, indicating that contemporary immigration from Pakistan to the United Kingdom, which frequently takes place in form of a marriage migration, reveals a complex of social and economic pressures in the early months and years after migration. In men, this kind of migration may result in contradictory implications for masculinity [24]. Research also indicates that migration marriages may offer socioeconomic bene ts in the destination country, if the opportunity of migration attracts a more highly educated spouse.…”

“Moving on” with gendered aspirations: Sudanese migrants navigating controlling welfare states, labour markets and migration regimes in the Netherlands and the UK

“…Research on migrants and their aspirations has shown that genderspecific normse.g. men as the main breadwinners (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019) and women as care-givers (Scheibelhofer 2018)play a crucial role in shaping migrants' future aspirations. Migration involves some degree of dislocation from the cultural and social contexts in which gender ideals and practices are generated, which may result in a loss or gain of power and status (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019).…”

“…men as the main breadwinners (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019) and women as care-givers (Scheibelhofer 2018)play a crucial role in shaping migrants' future aspirations. Migration involves some degree of dislocation from the cultural and social contexts in which gender ideals and practices are generated, which may result in a loss or gain of power and status (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019). In particular, work and family are key domains in which tensions around gendered aspirations arise (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019).…”

“…Migration involves some degree of dislocation from the cultural and social contexts in which gender ideals and practices are generated, which may result in a loss or gain of power and status (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019). In particular, work and family are key domains in which tensions around gendered aspirations arise (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019). For example, the downward mobility experienced by many male migrants may result in doing lower status jobs or being unemployed, which undermines the ability to fulfil a breadwinner role (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019).…”

“…In particular, work and family are key domains in which tensions around gendered aspirations arise (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019). For example, the downward mobility experienced by many male migrants may result in doing lower status jobs or being unemployed, which undermines the ability to fulfil a breadwinner role (Charsley and Ersanilli 2019). Under these circumstances, however, migrants might choose to be "strategically flexible" (Batnitzky, McDowell, andDyer 2009, 1282) with their gendered aspirations if the trade off is acceptable, for example, accepting a job under their own or their families' aspirations, may reap other benefits, such as the ability to financially support their families.…”