L’amore ai tempi dell’esilio: prospettive sulle relazioni di coppia nel contesto della migrazione forzata

Drawing from research with Somali refugees in Umkulu refugee camp (Eritrea) and Eritreans in Shimelba (Ethiopia), this article explores the shifts and continuities in marriage practices of refugee populations navigating the constraints and the opportunities of life in camps. On the one hand, we consider how resettlement opportunities have influenced the formation of couples among refugees themselves or with locals. On the other hand, we analyse how different marital tactics employed by Somalis and Eritreans to access resettlement have both led to delays and rejections in their applications. Through the in-depth analysis of the two cases studies, we reflect on larger debates on the nature of a legitimate marriage and discuss the gaps between bureaucratic understandings of families and refugees’ daily experiences.