Intimate Contradictions: Comparing The Impact of Danish Family Unification Laws on Pakistani and Cuban Marriage Migrants

TY - JOUR

T1 - Intimate Contradictions

T2 - Comparing The Impact of Danish Family Unification Laws on Pakistani and Cuban Marriage Migrants

AU - Fernandez, Nadine

AU - Jensen, Tina Gudrun

PY - 2014/7

Y1 - 2014/7

N2 - The Danish family unification policies are based on an underlying moral agenda rooted in the idea of emotional, intimate, love-based marriages as the basis of the modern nation state. This paper questions the efficacy of this moral agenda by examining the unintended consequences and false dichotomies that emerge with the implementation of the legislation, particularly focusing on kin relations and individual autonomy. Empirically, the article compares how the legislation affects both the intended targets (intra-ethnic marriages among Danes of immigrant descent) and the unintended targets (ethnic Danes who marry non-European spouses, namely, Cubans). This comparative perspective highlights the cracks in the moral agenda of the state's efforts to shape family formation and, ultimately, the contradictions of attempting to promote 'modernity' over 'tradition'.

AB - The Danish family unification policies are based on an underlying moral agenda rooted in the idea of emotional, intimate, love-based marriages as the basis of the modern nation state. This paper questions the efficacy of this moral agenda by examining the unintended consequences and false dichotomies that emerge with the implementation of the legislation, particularly focusing on kin relations and individual autonomy. Empirically, the article compares how the legislation affects both the intended targets (intra-ethnic marriages among Danes of immigrant descent) and the unintended targets (ethnic Danes who marry non-European spouses, namely, Cubans). This comparative perspective highlights the cracks in the moral agenda of the state's efforts to shape family formation and, ultimately, the contradictions of attempting to promote 'modernity' over 'tradition'.

U2 - 10.1080/1369183X.2013.854692

DO - 10.1080/1369183X.2013.854692

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1369-183X

VL - 40

SP - 1136

EP - 1153

JO - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

JF - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies

IS - 7

ER -