Compaso

Abstract: This study explores how female marriage migrants employ various forms of social closure to help them adapt to the receiving society. As for female migration itself, although it has begun to dominate the migration flow it has not yet been discussed and theorized as a unique phenomenon in immigration studies. This phenomenon must, however, be viewed within the context of international hypergamy, which has become an increasingly notable trend in many countries, especially those of East Asia. Female marriage migrants, coming toTaiwanchiefly from Southeast Asian countries and fromChina, often are depicted by the mainstream discourse as being inferior. This study has found that by creating, and in some cases transforming, social closure, these female marriage migrants are able to reshape their group identity, to reposition themselves within the stratification at least within the parameters of their own minds, and thereby to cope with the discriminatory environment and unfavorable social hierarchy of Taiwanese society.

Keywords: Immigrants, Female migration in Asia, Social closure, International marriage