Transitions within and from ethno-linguistically mixed and endogamous first unions in Finland

Abstract

Utilizing longitudinal population register data from Finland, this study examines the influence of exogamy on transitions within and from first unions. The aim is to assess how ethnolinguistically mixed unions, consisting of Swedish speakers and Finnish speakers, differ from endogamous unions with respect to various transitions in the family formation process subsequent to entry into childless cohabitation. We find evidence of notable selection. The proportion of endogamous relationships increases during the course of the courtship process, and this selection is primarily driven by a higher separation risk of ethno-linguistically mixed unions. The stages in family formation consequently seem to work as a social filter, where the exogamy effect on the dissolution risk is particularly strong for couples who have come a long way in the process.

Infant mortality and ethnicity in an indigenous European population: Novel evidence from the Finnish population register

“…Social selection with respect to union and parenthood entry21 is consequently not likely. The separation risk of ethnically mixed unions of Swedish and Finnish speakers is higher than that of both homogamous Finnish and homogamous Swedish unions14, and infants in broken families generally fare much worse than other infants with respect to morbidity and mortality410. It is unreasonable to expect that people in a group with a high separation risk have social characteristics that enhance their infants' survival at an early stage.…”

“…Children born into ethnically mixed unions are equally frequent as children with a homogamous Swedish background because approximately 40% of all Swedish speakers form a union with a Finnish speaker14. Before the 1950s, however, interethnic marriages were not common, as Swedish and Finnish speakers were geographically separated15.…”

Ethnic Affiliation of Children and the Risk of Union Dissolution

“…Analyses of marriages with respect to ethnicity have shown that the divorce rate of homogamous Finnish marriages is almost twice Üiat of homogamous Swedish ones, whereas that of interethnic marriages is approximately ten per cent higher than that of homogamous Finnish marriages (Finnäs, 1997). Recent research suggests a similar pattern with regard to the risk of separation from cohabiting unions (Saarela and Finnäs, 2014). Since structural factors provide no exhaustive explanation, between-group differences in attitudes towards marriage, the family, and divorce therefore presumably play an important role.…”

“…There are two parallel school systems with the same curriculum from the elementary level to university level, a diocese for all the Swedish-speaking parishes, one brigade of the Finnish Army is Swedish-speaking, and there exist a number of Swedish organisations and societies for politics, culture, media, sports, science and agriculture (McRae, 1997). Hence,.Finnish and Swedish speakers can be separated on basis of the critical features that characterise an ethnic group (Finnäs and O'Leary, 2003;Saarela and Finnäs, 2014). Each makes up a field of communication and interaction, and has a membership that identifies itself, and is identified by others, as constituting a distinguishable category.…”

“…Many studies have found that ethnic heterogamy, or exogamy, is associated with increased dissolution risks of marriages and cohabidng unions (Jones, 1996;Finnäs, 1997;Kalmijn et al, 2005;Dribe and Lundh, 2012;Saarela and Finnäs, 2014). As compared with ethnically homogamous unions, partners of ethnically mixed unions can be assumed to have more divergent cultural norms, values and tastes, which will make it more difficult to make joint decisions about the future, including plans about marriage, childbearing, and upbringing (Kalmijn, 1998).…”