Explaining inter‐ethnic marriage in Sub‐Saharan Africa

Abstract

We use Demographic and Health Survey data to undertake the largest ever examination into the causes of inter-ethnic marriage in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa and document a number of novel findings. First, we show that inter-ethnic marriage rates are high, at 19.4% on average, vary significantly across countries and are rising over time.Second, we show that individual variables associated with modernization such as urbanization, literacy/education and declines in polygamy and agricultural employment are correlated with inter-ethnic marriage. Third, we show that inter-ethnic marriage is quadratically correlated with ethnic group size and negatively correlated with both educational homogamy and country-population size.

Ethnic Bias in Judicial Decision Making: Evidence from Criminal Appeals in Kenya

“…Interethnic marriage is uncommon in the general population but correlated with urban location and higher education (Crespin-Boucaud 2020). This pattern is pronounced among highly educated, professional females like these judges (Bandyopadhyay and Green 2021, Table 4). Appendix D.7 shows a robustness check accounting for uncertainty in appellant ethnicity via simulation; the results are consistent with the main results.…”

A perfect match? The dampening effect of interethnic marriage on armed conflict in Africa

“…Most studies on interethnic marriage have examined its occurrence in Western countries (Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018). There is a notable absence of empirical studies examining interethnic marriage in sub-Saharan Africa.…”

“…Second, although most sub-Saharan African marriages are within ethnic boundaries, interethnic marriage in this region has a long history (Matz, 2013). Recent examinations of interethnic marriage have shown that rates are around 20% on average and rising across Africa over the past 30 years (Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018; Crespin-Boucaud, 2020; Dulani et al, 2021). 5 Third, given that ethnic diversity is perceived to be especially problematic and because scarcity increases the stakes of resource competition on this continent, examining the effect of interethnic marriage in this region provides for a harder test (Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018; Kasara, 2013; Robinson, 2020).…”

“…Third, an overwhelming number of empirical studies on the intergroup contact theory and interethnic marriage are based on Western samples (e.g. Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018; Wagner and Hewstone, 2012). They have largely ignored continents, such as Africa, where ethnic diversity is perceived to be especially problematic (Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018; Dulani et al, 2021).…”

“…Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018; Wagner and Hewstone, 2012). They have largely ignored continents, such as Africa, where ethnic diversity is perceived to be especially problematic (Bandyopadhyay and Green, 2018; Dulani et al, 2021). Lastly, since ethnic conflicts are especially long, deadly, and have devastating social and economic consequences (Sambanis and Shayo, 2013), it is important to examine contact as a powerful condition for stability.…”