The focus of this article is on Senegalese gender relations and female autonomy in Tenerife, Spain. I investigate women's autonomy in relation to women's social status as married or divorced, asking how the fact that they live with or without husband in Tenerife affects their work capacity, their decision-making and their economic achievements. I discuss female Senegalese migrants, and autonomy drawing upon three cases: one divorced woman, one married woman and her husband with their home in Tenerife, and one woman living in Tenerife with her husband in Dakar. For all Senegalese women, whether living in Senegal or Spain, marriage is a social obligation. Many Senegalese male migrants are discontented with the Senegalese female migrants' relatively high degree of independence. Men's lack of control over women in Tenerife irritates them and causes tensions between male and female traders. Female autonomy thrives, particularly among those women living without men, but also to some extent among those women who are married in Tenerife to Senegalese men. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

female autonomy Senegal Spain divorce marriage gender relations

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