‘A Crisis of Expectation?’ Narratives on the Impact of Migration on Gender and Family in Zimbabwe, 2000-2011

Abstract

The article employs the narratives of those left behind to explore the impact of migration on the Zimbabwean family institution and its gender terrain in the post- 2000 period. It uses narratives collected from various categories of people including spouses, grandparents, siblings, in-laws, teachers, civil servants and lawyers in order to explore the nature and extent of the crisis created by migration. The article argues that on the whole, migration has produced a crisis of expectation amongst those left behind in the Zimbabwean society and, to a certain extent, to the migrants themselves by failing to satisfactorily address their plight. This crisis includes family breakdowns, family feuds, neglect of those left behind, betrayal as well as delinquency among children, particularly those of school going age.