The Paradox of Choice: Partner Choices among Highly Educated Turkish Belgian Women

Abstract

Although research suggests that higher education leads to higher levels of ethnic inter-marriage, there is little research that describes and explains the variability of partner choice options for highly educated ethnic minor-ity women. Using data from semi-structured interviews with thirty highly educated second-generation Turkish Belgian women, this study explores inductively the kinds of partner choice options experienced by these women and the conditions and social processes that stimulate them to (not) choose particular options. The results suggest that the relationship between edu-cation, inter-marriage and fuller integration is tenuous and needs further analysis.