Contesting the Nexus between Intermarriage and Integration

Abstract

This article examines the nexus between intermarriage and sociocultural dimensions of the integration of immigrants in Spain. The data presented draw on ninety-four in-depth interviews conducted with immigrants of seven different origins in exogamous (mixed) and endogamous (same-origin) unions in Catalonia, the region with the highest rate of immigration and ethnoracial diversity in Spain. We apply a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. We find that the relationship between intermarriage and integration is complex and multidirectional: intermarriage has a direct effect on some dimensions of integration (e.g., the expansion and diversification of personal/social networks) but has no relationship (e.g., for identification with the society of destination) or a bidirectional relationship (e.g., for the learning of official languages) for others. Furthermore, we find that the outcomes are context-dependent and may be moderated by factors such as country of origin or gender. In sum, our results suggest a much more nuanced picture of the nexus between intermarriage and integration than has traditionally been theorized.

Blurring of colour lines? Ethnoracially mixed youth in Spain navigating identity

“…Our research data sometimes indicated the importance of differentiating between respondents' identification with Catalonia versus with Spain, or even with smaller regions (i.e., the province, city, or town the respondent lived in). Interviewees whose immigrant parent(s) had Spanish as a mother tongue (chiefly immigrants from Latin America) generally identified as Spanish, rather than as Catalan, and they also tended to be less proficient in the Catalan language, whereas respondents whose immigrant parent(s) had a foreign first language generally had no prior attachments to Spain or Catalonia and therefore tended to be more Catalan-oriented both in terms of learning the language and in their sense of belonging (see also Rodríguez-García et al 2015. 7.…”

“…Additionally, in this paper, we have drawn on information (i.e. similar findings and one interview excerpt) from a previous research project 5 that analysed similar issues of intercultural negotiation among mixed and endogamous couples, including parenting decisions and intergenerational dynamics; that sample included 94 couples (see Rodríguez-García et al 2015 for specific results).…”

“…In parallel with the dramatic growth of immigration in Spain over the last few decades, particularly between 2000(Arango 2013, and in keeping with global trends (Alba, Beck, and Sahin 2018;Chito Childs 2018;King-O'Riain and Small 2014;Rodríguez-García 2015), mixed unions between immigrants and native Spaniardsand also between immigrants from different originshave grown exponentially (Rodríguez-García 2006;Rodríguez-García et al 2015). Owing to this increase in mixed couples, the number of mixed descendants (the children of intermarriage) has similarly risen.…”

Preference and prejudice: Does intermarriage erode negative ethno-racial attitudes between groups in Spain?

“…Moreover, mixed unions are often conceptualised as constituting a bridge between different cultures – a space where the differences and identities related to ethnic origin, class, and gender intersect and are contested, which, in turn, usually bring about positive processes of both social integration and interethnic understanding (Barbara, 1985; Bystydzienski, 2011; Rodríguez-García, 2006; Varro, 2003; Vucinic-Nescovic, 2002). Furthermore, while endogamy still prevails, even in online dating (Feliciano et al., 2011; Potârcă and Mills, 2015), the ever-growing increase in intermarriage across national, cultural, racial, and religious boundaries worldwide (Heikkilä and Yeoh, 2010; Rodríguez-García, 2015) can be seen as a sign of the diminishing barriers to social interaction across groups – and as an important step in the lessening of ethno-racial distinctions in forthcoming generations (Alba and Nee, 2003).…”

Health of immigrant children: the role of immigrant generation, exogamous family setting, and family material and social resources

“…inclusion and the integration of immigrants (Alba 2005). Although the relationship between intermarriage and integration has been called into question (Song 2009;Rodríguez-García et al 2015), there is empirical evidence that this multicultural family setting can favor the process of integration in children by encouraging social exchange between social groups, and reducing marginalization and related prejudice (Kalmijn 2010). However, some research has also shown that intermarriage does not always result in positive outcomes for the offspring of exogamous families.…”