Partnership constellation and poverty beyond the migrant/non-migrant dichotomy: An exploratory, gendered analysis in Germany

Abstract

Objective: We analyse poverty across different-sex partnership constellations, examining how risk factors - such as low education and weak labour market attachment - cluster differently across these constellations. We distinguish between men and women of non-migrant and migrant descent, as well as EU and non-EU migrants. Background: Previous studies have investigated the link between partnership constellations and poverty, often overlooking migration status despite migrants' heightened poverty risk. Moreover, gender differences and partnership patterns beyond the simple migrant–non-migrant divide received little attention. Method: Using 2019 German Microcensus data, we map the distribution of different-sex partnership constellations by gender, migration status, and poverty risk factors. We analyse poverty differences with linear probability models, exploring how risk factors vary across constellations and by gender. Results: We find the highest prevalence of poverty risk factors and poverty in partnerships between two non-EU migrants. Low education is a more important poverty risk factor than weak labour market attachment for most constellations. However, among partnerships involving non-EU migrants, non-employment contributes more strongly to poverty differences. Gender differences are particularly pronounced in partnerships between non-EU migrants and either non-migrants or individuals of migrant descent. Conclusion: We underscore the importance of considering gendered partnership constellations beyond the migrant/non-migrant dichotomy in poverty research. Furthermore, we highlight the need to account for multiple dimensions of homogamy to better understand the link between partnership constellations and poverty.