Marrying Transnationally? The Role of Migration in Explaining the Timing and Type of Partnership Formation among the Senegalese

Pau Baizán, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) and Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Amparo Gonzalez-Ferrer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

In this paper we analyze the role of migration in partnership formation among Senegalese individuals. We use data from the survey «Migrations between Africa and Europe» (MAFE-Senegal) and event history models to examine differences concerning the timing of entry into first partnership by gender and migration status (non-migrants, migrants in EU, returnees from EU, migrants in other countries, and returnees from other countries). Our preliminary results indicate that being a migrant in France, Italy or Spain significantly increases the chances of entering into first partnership, for both men and women. For women, this is especially visible the year of their migration, which clearly points to the increasing phenomenon of marriage migration also among Senegalese migrants. Furthermore, the results show that education and socio-economic status are clearly linked to the propensity to enter a first partnership transnationally, but this effect differs by gender.