Marriage, migration & change in small-town Senegal

Abstract

This paper aims to understand how the significant out-migration of men from small-town Senegal influences the marriage process and resulting conjugal life, specifically in reference to those left-behind. To address this objective, a case study approach is utilized focusing on the region of Kebemer, located in Senegal's peanut basin. Furthermore, gender theory as well as a sociology of the family approach are applied to interpret and give meaning to the different socioeconomic factors at play in shaping the dynamics of marriage and conjugal life. It is argued that while certain elements of the marriage process are experiencing changes as a result of migration (higher brideprice, a delay of first marriage, spousal selection norms and so on), it is noted that migrants tend to remain especially conservative, staying rooted in traditional beliefs and behaviours. In light of such discoveries, conventional notions of 'development' are challenged and alternative understandings sought out.