“I Don’t Need a Man in My Life” – Changing Gender Norms Among Highly-Skilled Female Return Migrants in South East Europe

Research on international migration has predominantly concentrated on immigration and its effects on destination countries, often overlooking the impact migration has on the social and cultural dynamics of migrants' countries of origin. Within this broader gap, the intersection of gender and return migration remains particularly underexplored. This is especially true for the experiences of highly skilled female returnees, whose migration journeys have the potential to challenge and transform traditional gender norms in their origin countries (King and Lulle, 2022; Wong, 2014).

Our study addresses this gap by examining how the return of highly skilled female migrants to patriarchal societies in South East Europe influences local gender norms, focusing on the cases of Kosovo and Romania. Drawing on the theoretical concept of intangible remittances, a refined version of Peggy Levitt’s (1998) concept of social remittances, we explore how these women experienced migration to North America or Western Europe, and how their experiences abroad influenced gender norms upon their return.

Based on 65 qualitative in-depth interviews, our analysis shows that nearly all participants found their time abroad empowering. They embraced progressive ideas of gender equality, sexual identity, and family-friendly concepts like parental leave. Upon their return, most sought to leverage this empowerment and introduce these newly acquired ideas and practices to advocate for gender equality. However, many participants encountered significant conflicts and resistance from the local population, which hindered the transfer of intangible remittances. We conclude that the return migration of highly skilled female returnees has the potential to drive socio-cultural transformations in their origin countries. However, support mechanisms are crucial to ensure their efforts are not stifled by challenging local environments.