| Abstrakt: |
This article examines the reunification experiences and gender dynamics of reunited Mexican couples post-migration, and the intersections that shape those experiences. In 2021, we conducted a critical ethnographic study guided by intersectionality theory in Veracruz, Mexico. We interviewed women who stayed behind (n = 20), return migrants (n = 12), health care providers (n = 6), and community leaders (n = 12). Data was analyzed using thematic analysis using NVivo software as aid. We found that the intersection of age, gender, and employment status influenced gender relations among reunited couples postmigration. Couples reinforced, negotiated, and resisted pre-established gender norms in Agua Dulce. The findings suggest that women have the capacity to act on the relationship pathway upon the return of their migrant partners at the dynamic intersection of age, gender, and employment status. These must be understood against the backdrop of gender norms in the study context. This article provides an important theoretical contribution to research and policy. The contribution lies in the rich intersectional understanding of how and why relationships are affected in different ways depending on intersecting factors across the pre-, during, and post- migration experience. Policymakers and stakeholders can use it to identify ways to enhance women's agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
