ABSTRACT
The previous three chapters were concerned with the regulation of marriage migration from 1962 until 1997. They argued that, while attitudes evolved throughout the period and there was some variation between institutions, there was also a consistent strand of shared assumptions that resulted in common patterns of decision-making and an unofficial hierarchy of acceptable marriages. This part of the book considers the same institutions during the period between 1997 and May 2010. This chapter sets the scene for that study. It considers government policy and the position of minority ethnic groups between 1997 and 2010 and argues that, in comparison with the earlier period, there was more fluidity and ambivalence. The following chapters argue that this is reflected in the treatment of marriage migration by the same institutions as those considered in Chapters 3, 4 and 5.
