THAIMIG studies the interconnections of transnational migration, social networks, work, and religion in the life strategies of a migrant group that has received little attention in the existing research, namely Thai female migrants in Norway. Most Thai women that migrate to Europe, including Norway, do so after marrying a European man. In Norway, Thai women constitute the biggest group of migrant women in Norway from outside the European Union. They are also the largest group of women who have migrated to marry Norwegian men with non-immigrant backgrounds. These unions are often seen as deriving from sex tourism in Thailand and marked by unequal power relations, leading these couples to experience significant stereotyping. However, an increasing number of studies of Thai women in Europe challenge their assumed victimization and the depiction of their transnational marriages as little more than sex trafficking and paint a more nuanced picture of these women’s experiences and strategies. These studies demonstrate the complexities of these women’s experiences, as both active agents in their migration process as well as encountering significant challenges related to their social position in their new homes in Europe. In this project we study how life strategies are negotiated and (in)formed by the complexities of work and family life, and their intersections with gendered religio-cultural discourses and social expectations. We ask: What role do the interconnections of transnational migration, social networks, work, and religion play in the life strategies of Thai migrant women in Norway? The project applies a multilayered approach using sociological, anthropological and theological perspectives. By combining perspectives related to migration, religion, work and family life, and by using an interdisciplinary approach, we aim to contribute to in-depth insight into the nexus of temporal, spatial, spiritual and relational dimensions of migrants’ lives, as well as to an in-depth understanding of the complexities of transnational lives, including the challenges and opportunities related to social inclusion and well-being such contexts might imply.
The project has the following main objectives: (1) To fill the knowledge gaps regarding transnational and return migration, challenges, and opportunities of social networks in relation to employment and social inclusion and the role and significance of religion for Thai migrant women. (2) To contribute to a deeper understanding of the nexus of, as well as the challenges and opportunities related to, the temporal, spatial, religious, and relational dimensions of migrants’ lives, and how these influence migrants’ life strategies and transnational lives. (3) To use the knowledge generated to counteract stereotypes and stigmatization about Thai migrant women by providing a holistic perspective on their life as migrants and a minority group. (4) To build a network of researchers from different parts of the world to i) ensure the international scientific relevance of the project and to ii) facilitate a relevant international network for the younger researchers to be involved in the project.
