Transnational families in women who wait and chairman of fools : evolving gender roles and copying strategies

الملخص EN

In recent years, the rise in international migration and the settlement of African migrants in European countries has given birth to transnational families.

This article analyses transnational families in Zimbabwe and Senegal in relation to “invisible masculinities” as depicted in African literature.

This paper compares and contrasts the representation of the space evacuated by men due to migration in Fatou Diome's Women who wait and Shimmer Chinodya's Chairman of Fools.

Drawing on Spivak's work on subalternity, this paper aims to analyse the copying strategies of the family members left behind especially the wives and the mothers who have traditional roles and expectations hovering over their heads.

These families are marred by desperation, loneliness and competition, thus creating diaspora orphans and widows.

The significance of this study is the manner in which migration redefines the family unit, masculinity and femininity.

This study concludes that reintegration into society by the migrant men creates unforeseen hurdles.