ISSN 2736-1578
African Journal of Gender and Women Studies ISSN: 2736-1578, Vol. 10 (8), pp. 001-013, August, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Gendered Dynamics of Transnational Living: A Narrative Inquiry of Ghanaian Couples
Rodlyn Remina Hines, PhD, CFLE, CFCS-HDFS
SUNY Empire State University, New York.
Abstract
Received 11 June, 2025; Revised 15 15 June, 2025; Accepted 21 July, 2025 and Published 13 August, 2025
This article examines the gendered dimensions of transnational living among Ghanaian immigrant couples who maintain marital relationships across international borders. Using a narrative inquiry methodology—specifically, in-depth life story interviews—and grounded in symbolic interactionism, gender theory, and intersectionality, the study explores the lived experiences of ten spouses—five women and five men—who live apart between Ghana and the United States. Data were collected between 2021 and 2022. Participants’ narratives reveal that while both men and women experience emotional and relational strain, these experiences are shaped in distinctly gendered ways. Women report heightened emotional labor, persistent expectations of fidelity, and long-distance caregiving responsibilities, while men describe social pressure to remarry and a disrupted sense of authority within the marital relationship. These gendered strains are exacerbated by irregular visitations, remittance obligations, and communication breakdowns. The study situates these narratives within broader Ghanaian cultural norms that prioritize male authority and female responsibility for kin care, while also examining how transnational conditions destabilize—but do not erase—those norms. By centering personal stories, the article illuminates how gendered power operates across space, distance, and cultural systems. While limited by a small sample size and the focus on Ghana-U.S. couples, the study offers practical implications for transnational family counseling and support services. This research contributes to feminist and migration scholarship by advancing understanding of how gender, place, and transnationalism intersect to reshape intimacy, responsibility, and identity in global family life.
Keywords: Gender and Migration; Transnational Families; Narrative Inquiry; Ghanaian Immigrants; Transnational Intimacy.