Gendering return migration

Over the past three decades, gender has been progressively mainstreamed into the study of migration; much less so into return migration, however. Three key concepts are deployed in this chapter to frame an analysis of return as a gendered process: intersectionality, gender as a relational concept and gendered geographies of power. As gendered subjects, migrants return home as relational beings - as spouses, parents, sons and daughters, siblings etc. - and as such they are embedded in gendered power relations both within their families and within wider societies. On the whole, women are more reluctant than men to return to their countries of origin, which are often male-dominated societies, whereas men are able to reclaim 'lost' masculinities upon return. However, there are exceptions to this. Post-return, women are often obligated to assume burdensome care duties and to negotiate oppressive gender and sexual stereotypes.