Transnational divorce in binational marriages: The case of Portuguese-Brazilian and Portuguese-Cape Verdean couples

Abstract

While academic research has focused on binational marriages (i.e., marriages between partners of different national origins), transnational divorce is still under-researched in the field of migration and family studies. Drawing on qualitative data, this paper analyses the testimonies of Brazilian and Cape Verdean migrant women concerning their experiences of marriage and divorce from Portuguese partners. We adopt an intersectional approach to highlight how some central categories—gender, social class and migration status—influence their agency and consequences of marital disruption. Contrary to studies in which migrant women are victimised after divorce, our results reveal that, for these women, marital dissolution is an empowering strategy to end up their unhappy marriages.