Interethnic Union Formation among 1.5- and Second-generation Immigrants: The Role of Cultural Proximity

We examine 1.5- and second-generation immigrants’ union formation patterns in Denmark and how they relate to the cultural proximity between their countries of origin and Denmark as indicated by religion, values, and language. Drawing on administrative register data on 71,122 1.5- and second-generation immigrants from 120 different countries of origin, we use multilevel discrete-time event history analysis to examine the nexus between cultural proximity and union formation patterns. These models rigorously control for time-varying individual factors and changes in opportunity structures in local partner markets. Our results suggest that religion strongly relates to the 1.5- and second-generation immigrants’ union formation patterns. At the same time, this is not the case for the other cultural factors when we account for religion. Specifically, our results suggest that 1.5- and second-generation immigrants from non-Christian and especially from Muslim countries are less likely to form interethnic unions with natives and more likely to form intraethnic unions with same-country immigrants than their Protestant-background counterparts. Moreover, these patterns are most pronounced for women. Overall, we conclude that religion remains a strong predictor of interethnic union formation with natives among 1.5- and second-generation immigrants in Denmark and discuss the implications of this finding.