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Are Mixed-Ethnic Unions More Likely to Dissolve Than Co-Ethnic Unions? New Evidence from Britain
[Les unions mixtes sont-elles plus fragiles que les unions entre partenaires de même origine ethnique? Nouveaux résultats pour la Grande-Bretagne]

Author

Listed:
  • Zhiqiang Feng

    (University of St Andrews)

  • Paul Boyle

    (University of St Andrews)

  • Maarten Ham

    (Delft University of Technology)

  • Gillian M. Raab

    (University of St Andrews)

Abstract

The increasing proportion of ethnic minorities in Britain has been paralleled by an increase in the occurrence of mixed-ethnic marriages between one White partner and an ethnic minority partner. Such marriages are thought to be at higher risk of divorce, but empirical studies so far have been inconclusive. This paper uses the Office for National Statistics longitudinal study for England and Wales to investigate whether mixed-ethnic unions are more likely to end in divorce than co-ethnic unions. We followed married couples in 1991–2001 and examined their risks of divorce. We found evidence that mixed-ethnic unions have a higher risk of dissolution than co-ethnic unions. However, after controlling for partners’ characteristics, most importantly the younger ages of people in mixed-ethnic unions, the risk of divorce for mixed-ethnic unions was no longer elevated, but lay close to the higher risk found for the two constituent co-ethnic unions.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhiqiang Feng & Paul Boyle & Maarten Ham & Gillian M. Raab, 2012. "Are Mixed-Ethnic Unions More Likely to Dissolve Than Co-Ethnic Unions? New Evidence from Britain [Les unions mixtes sont-elles plus fragiles que les unions entre partenaires de même origine ethniqu," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 28(2), pages 159-176, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:28:y:2012:i:2:d:10.1007_s10680-012-9259-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-012-9259-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Berthoud, Richard, 2000. "Family formation in multi-cultural Britain: three patterns of diversity," ISER Working Paper Series 2000-34, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    2. Gary S. Becker, 1981. "A Treatise on the Family," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck81-1.
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    4. Ron Johnston & Michael Poulsen & James Forrest, 2006. "Ethnic Residential Segregation and Assimilation in British Towns and Cities: a comparison of those claiming single and dual ethnic identities," Migration Letters, Migration Letters, vol. 3(1), pages 11-30, April.
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    7. Michael Svarer & Mette Verner, 2008. "Do children stabilize relationships in Denmark?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 21(2), pages 395-417, April.
    8. Maarten Ham & Tiit Tammaru, 2011. "Ethnic Minority–Majority Unions in Estonia [Unions entre membres d'ethnies minoritaires et majoritaires en Estonie]," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 27(3), pages 313-335, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hill Kulu & Tina Hannemann, 2016. "Introduction to research on immigrant and ethnic minority families in Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(2), pages 31-46.
    2. Tina Hannemann & Hill Kulu, 2015. "Union formation and dissolution among immigrants and their descendants in the United Kingdom," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 33(10), pages 273-312.
    3. Laura Bottazzi & Paolo Manasse & Sarah Grace See, 2017. "Better Wed Over the Mixen Than Over The Moon? Break-ups of Inter-ethnic Marriages in Italy," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 499, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    4. Nadja Milewski & Annegret Gawron, 2019. "Is there an association between marital exogamy of immigrants and nonmigrants and their mental health? A two-partners approach," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 40(21), pages 561-598.
    5. Amparo González-Ferrer & Tina Hannemann & Teresa Castro Martín, 2016. "Partnership formation and dissolution among immigrants in the Spanish context," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(1), pages 1-30.
    6. Nadja Milewski & Hill Kulu, 2014. "Mixed Marriages in Germany: A High Risk of Divorce for Immigrant-Native Couples," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 30(1), pages 89-113, February.
    7. David M. Wright & Michael Rosato & Dermot O’Reilly, 2017. "Influence of Heterogamy by Religion on Risk of Marital Dissolution: A Cohort Study of 20,000 Couples," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(1), pages 87-107, February.
    8. Ognjen Obućina, 2016. "Partner Choice in Sweden Following a Failed Intermarriage," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 32(4), pages 511-542, October.
    9. Tina Hannemann & Hill Kulu & Leen Rahnu & Allan Puur & Mihaela Hărăguş & Ognjen Obućina & Amparo González-Ferrer & Karel Neels & Layla Van den Berg & Ariane Pailhé & Gina Potarca & Laura Bernardi, 2018. "Co-ethnic marriage versus intermarriage among immigrants and their descendants: A comparison across seven European countries using event-history analysis," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 39(17), pages 487-524.
    10. Laia Folguera & Jordi Roca & Flavia Verónica Anzil & Jordi Caïs, 2024. "The Breakup of Binational Couples: Analyzing the Importance of Cultural Dissimilarity in the Couple Well-Being," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 19(5), pages 2649-2663, October.
    11. Hill Kulu & Amparo González-Ferrer, 2014. "Family Dynamics Among Immigrants and Their Descendants in Europe: Current Research and Opportunities," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 30(4), pages 411-435, November.
    12. Leen Rahnu & Allan Puur & Luule Sakkeus & Martin Klesment, 2015. "Partnership dynamics among migrants and their descendants in Estonia," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(56), pages 1519-1566.
    13. Magnus Strömgren & Tiit Tammaru & Alexander Danzer & Maarten Ham & Szymon Marcińczak & Olof Stjernström & Urban Lindgren, 2014. "Factors Shaping Workplace Segregation Between Natives and Immigrants," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 51(2), pages 645-671, April.

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