HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory
Volume 5, Issue 3, 2015, Pages 197-214

The path to happiness?: Prosperity, suffering, and transnational migration in Britain and Sylhet (Review)

Gardner K.*
  • a Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London, WC1 2AE, United Kingdom

Abstract

In this article I discuss the relationship between migration and happiness via the life stories of members of a Bangladeshi family who for several generations have been involved in transnational migration between their rural home in Sylhet and a city in Northern England. Rather than to seek definitive answers concerning whether or not migration makes my interlocutors happy-as we shall see, the answers to this are highly subjective and ever changing-my intention is to ask what we might learn about both migration and happiness by considering how journeys purportedly undertaken in order to increase well-being so often lead instead to sadness, loss, and dislocation. In particular, I use Sara Ahmed's framing of "happiness projects" to address the contradictions and ambivalence that lie at the emotional heart of transnational migration.

Author Keywords

Migration Londoni Bangladesh Happiness

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84955568646&doi=10.14318%2fhau5.3.011&partnerID=40&md5=3545ac8636ddd8c527706275736852b8

DOI: 10.14318/hau5.3.011
ISSN: 20491115
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English