The role of reproductive rights in the discussion on female marriage migrants in Korea

Female marriage migrants have been a topic of academic interest due to their influence on the makeup of South Korean society for quite a while. Associated research ranges from the mental health of these migrant women to multicultural education to accommodate this change and anything and everything in between. Studies inevitably mention how the emphasis on their role as wife and mother and reference to their reproductive labour is problematic. However, few studies consider how their specific situation on this spectrum influences their reproductive rights beyond simply pointing this out. Not acknowledging this more meaningfully leads to a gap in research and knowledge as reproductive rights are an important topic in the discourse on women’s rights in general and as such is inextricably linked with the fight for gender equality. Additionally, this blind spot is remarkable as the reason for female marriage migrants joining Korean families and households is foremost their reproductive...Show moreFemale marriage migrants have been a topic of academic interest due to their influence on the makeup of South Korean society for quite a while. Associated research ranges from the mental health of these migrant women to multicultural education to accommodate this change and anything and everything in between. Studies inevitably mention how the emphasis on their role as wife and mother and reference to their reproductive labour is problematic. However, few studies consider how their specific situation on this spectrum influences their reproductive rights beyond simply pointing this out. Not acknowledging this more meaningfully leads to a gap in research and knowledge as reproductive rights are an important topic in the discourse on women’s rights in general and as such is inextricably linked with the fight for gender equality. Additionally, this blind spot is remarkable as the reason for female marriage migrants joining Korean families and households is foremost their reproductive labour as wives and daughters-in-law, with goes hand in hand with the explicit expectation of them becoming mothers of Korean children. Moreover, in the Korean context, them obtaining formal rights and social acceptance mostly depends on their reproductive labour and their (capability of) motherhood. The aim of this thesis is to take a closer look at this gap and why it is there. I will discuss how reproductive rights are referred to in relation to female marriage migrants, how their specific situation in Korea complicating their reproductive rights is discussed in related research, and what this means for their position as women in Korea. In this thesis I will focus my attention on how the expectation of reproductive labour and motherhood entangles with notions of citizenship and acceptance, combined with an overview of the discussion on human rights protection and how this includes reproductive rights. Ultimately, I aim to highlight an area of interest that will contribute to illuminating the complexity of the situation of marriage migrants and might assist in closing the gap that exists between the perspectives on female marriage migrants in research on the one hand, and the lack of targeted research considering their reproductive rights on the other. More specifically, the following questions will guide this research: Why are reproductive rights not included substantially in the debate regarding female marriage migrants in Korea, and how does marriage migration complicate the reproductive rights of these migrant women? Are reproductive rights included in the expectation of reproductive labour that is placed on female marriage migrants? What is the effect of this expectation on their position as women in Korea?Show less

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The role of reproductive rights in the discussion on female marriage migrants in Korea