Intermarriage and the risk of divorce in the Netherlands: The effects of differences in religion and in nationality, 1974–94

Abstract

A textbook hypothesis about divorce is that heterogamous marriages are more likely to end in divorce than homogamous marriages. We analyse vital statistics on the population of the Netherlands, which provide a unique and powerful opportunity to test this hypothesis. All marriages formed between 1974 and 1984 (nearly 1 million marriages) are traced in the divorce records and multivariate logistic regression models are used to analyse the effects on divorce of heterogamy in religion and national origin. Our analyses confirm the hypothesis for marriages that cross the Protestant-Catholic or the Jewish-Gentile boundary. Heterogamy effects are weaker for marriages involving Protestants or unaffiliated persons. Marriages between Dutch and other nationalities have a higher risk of divorce, the more so the greater the cultural differences between the two groups. Overall, the evidence supports the view that, in the Netherlands, new group boundaries are more difficult to cross than old group boundaries.

Les unions mixtes sont-elles plus fragiles que les unions entre partenaires de même origine ethnique? Nouveaux résultats pour la Grande-Bretagne

“…However, studies on union dissolution have generally ignored the effects of ethnic mixing in households. The existing evidence is inconclusive with some studies suggesting an elevated risk of divorce for mixed ethnic couples (Dribe and Lundh, 2011;Kalmijn et al 2005) and others finding no such evidence (Cuningham 1990;Jones 1996;Zhang and van Hook 2009).…”

“…Partners in mixed ethnic couples are more likely to differ in values, life styles and norms, which may make it difficult for them to reach consensus in daily life decisions (Bumpass and Sweet 1972;Kalmijn et al 2005). Such disagreements may induce stress and could be associated with the risk of divorce.…”

“…The first theory starts from the observation that homogamy is the norm while heterogamy is aberrant (Kalmijn et al 2005). It is well know that people tend to choose partners with similar age, religious, ethnic, educational, and family characteristics (Kalmijn 1991;Kalmijn 1998;Schoen and Weinick 1993).…”

“…On the other hand, Heaton's (2002) US study of mixed marriages between Blacks and Whites reported that marital dissolution was more likely for mixed ethnic couples. Kalmijn et al (2005), using linked marriage and divorce registration data from 1974 to1994 in the Netherlands, found a high risk of dissolution for couples including a Dutch person and someone from another nationality. Zhang and van Hook (2009) used six panels of the US Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine the likelihood of dissolution of interracial marriages and found no homogamy effect.…”

“…Cultural characteristics relating to tastes, values, ambitions and communication styles vary across ethnic groups (Kalmijn et al 2005). Other factors include societal attitudes and the (perceived) support that partners in mixed ethnic couples may or may not receive.…”