Mixed marriages in Switzerland: A test of the segmented assimilation hypothesis

Abstract

BACKGROUND Switzerland hosts one of the largest and most diversified migrant populations in Europe, while currently reinforcing restrictive immigration policies. Knowledge on Swiss immigrant-native marriages, as ultimate signposts of integration, is limited. OBJECTIVE We explore the role of origin group and birth cohort in the emergence and dissolution of mixed marriages in Switzerland among both natives and immigrants. METHODS Based on a sample of 12,827 respondents from the 2013 Swiss Family and Generations Survey, we fit competing-risks models for entry into first marriage, and Cox proportional hazards models for entry into (first) divorce. RESULTS We find evidence of a segmented marriage market, with migrants from neighbouring Western European countries having higher chances of getting and staying married to a Swiss native. As opposed to natives, migrants from younger cohorts are progressively less likely to intermarry. CONCLUSIONS In line with segmented assimilation claims, results suggest differences in integration pathways between immigrant groups. Findings also point to the reactive ethnicity of marginalized groups (e.g., Turks and ex-Yugoslavs) in response to an increasingly hostile immigration climate. Decreasing (inter)marriage with natives among young immigrants reflects shifting marriage market conditions over the last decades. CONTRIBUTIONS Drawing on rich data, we provide an extensive investigation of intermarriage in Switzerland by examining outcomes of both occurrence and longevity, for both native and immigrant groups. The study focuses on a context with significant recent transformations in population composition and immigration climate, making it compelling to test integration theories and investigate how different groups, as well as younger (versus older) cohorts, intermarry in reaction to such changes.