Hidden Spaces of Resistance of the Subordinated: Case Studies from Vietnamese Female Migrant Partners in Taiwan 1

This paper explores how contradictory social structures influence power relations between “Vietnamese brides” and their Taiwanese family members. By analyzing two aspects of interaction between “Vietnamese brides” and their husbands' families, i.e., how the families require them to integrate in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The International migration review 2007-09, Vol.41 (3), p.706-727
Main Author: Wang, Hong-zen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brides
Case studies
Constraints
Families & family life
Hegemony
Husbands
Liminality
Marriage
Migrants
Power
Relatives
Resistance
Social conditions
Social power
Social relations
Social structure
Strategies
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Summary:This paper explores how contradictory social structures influence power relations between “Vietnamese brides” and their Taiwanese family members. By analyzing two aspects of interaction between “Vietnamese brides” and their husbands' families, i.e., how the families require them to integrate into Taiwanese society and what strategies they employ to escape from these constraints, we argue that contradictory social relations together with commodified marriage and liminality help them to develop strategies of escape into the “hidden space.” The development of these strategies indicates one thing: hegemony is never fully achieved – it is always negotiated and contested.
ISSN:0197-9183
1747-7379
DOI:10.1111/j.1747-7379.2007.00091.x