During the past several decades, a rapid upward trend in international marriage has been observed along with the tide of globalization and labor force migration across borders. Marriage migration across borders has been pervasive in Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries. The proportion of international marriage in Taiwan has reached 32% of overall marriages registered in 2003, and the counterpart figure in Korea reached a level of 14% in 2005. The rapid increase in international marriage, both in absolute numbers and in relation to overall marriages, has significant consequences and implications for society.

A massive exodus of young women from Southeast Asian countries, and their roles as workers and brides in Japan, Taiwan and Korea have received increasing attention from scholars. Based on data from marriage registration, sample surveys and in-depth interviews, various studies on the marriage process and adaptations of marriage immigrants have been conducted. There have also been anthropological studies on the communities of their origin, many of them focusing on the commercialization of young women. However, we do not yet have satisfactory explanations of the nature of the recent increase in international marriage or its socioeconomic impacts. Nor is it clear what kind of immigrant coping strategies operate in the destination.

In this conference, researchers from Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, Philippines, India, Hong Kong, Canada, France, the U.S. and Korea will gather to examine the causes, processes and consequences of international marriage migration. The conference will provide a platform for researchers with diverse perspectives and expertise to discuss issues of concern and learn from each other about marriage migration in the Asian region. The papers in this conference will include demographic analyses of migration streams, address adaptations of marriage immigrants, and discuss the socio-demographic impacts of marriage migration. Presentations will also include discourses on marriage migration in sending and receiving countries and critical evaluations of existing policies.