Matchmakers or Whoremonger: A Study on Marriage Agencies’ Rolesin the Cross-National Marriage Market of South Eastern Asia

• Main Authors: Chin-Chi Wu, 吳錦棋
• Other Authors: none
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/7npymx

碩士 === 東吳大學 === 社會學系 === 96 === Abstract This dissertation focuses on the research of South-Eastern-Asian matchmakers’ roles. Starting from the marriage marketing interest, the research probes the dilemma of Taiwanese bachelors’ marriage and their dependent - governing relationship with the matchmakers. Then, a comparison between the marriage agencies and the traditional matchmakers is reported. Finally, suggestions on the marriage agent policies in Taiwan are proposed. The research is from a qualitative perspective and the samples are Taiwanese men with South-Easter-Asian wives, matchmaker agencies, and non-profit organizations. The research concludes that 1. There are indeed some certain groups of Taiwanese bachelors struggling in looking for wives because of their family conditions, embarrassing ages (or physical/mental status), and job rankings. Therefore, they expect the marriage broker to give them a quick spouse pick-up from South-Easter-Asia. Meanwhile, the process of cross-national marriage business is fully controlled by the agents. 2. The limitation of knowledge and information access to the cross-national marriage market brings the problem of marriage asymmetry. A bridal searcher will face three problems: 1) the bride’s/groom’s birth 2) language problem and 3) the limited access to foreign South-Easter-Asia. As a result, the relationship between the bachelors and the agencies are getting tighter. 3. Cross-national marriage brokers look for profits from the business. Thus, the roles of business based matchmakers are different from the traditional matchmakers’. 4. Owing to the rapid changed policies, the matchmakers may confront many problems in the future that force them to deal with the business “illegally”. Therefore, the government will need to cope with the new cross-national marriage problems. From the study result, it is to suggest that the government should regulate the agencies in order to empower their legalized cross-national marriage business. Besides, the agencies should provide proper background information on both sides in the process of cross-national marriage business in order to change the benefit-oriented business into no-profit organization and to banish the idea of treating South-Easter-Asian brides as objects. Key Words：cross-national marriages, marriage market, marriage agency, foreign brides