Work

There’s More to Marriage Than Love: The Effect of Legal Status and Cultural Distance on Intermarriages and Separations

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: We analyze the contribution of legal status incentives on the marriage choices of natives and migrants. Access to legal status reduces the probability of immigrants intermarrying with natives by 40% and increases the hazard rate of separation for intermarriages by 20%. We develop and estimate a multidimensional equilibrium model of marriage, fertility, and separation, where individuals match on observed and unobserved characteristics. Allowing for trade-offs between cultural distance, legal status, and other socioeconomic spousal characteristics, we quantify the role of legal status and the strength of cultural preferences and evaluate the welfare consequences of granting legal status to immigrants.

Source: Journal of Political Economy

DOI: 10.1086/734093

Authors: Jérôme Adda, Paolo Pinotti, Giulia Tura

Institutions: Bocconi University, University of Milano-Bicocca, University of Bologna

Language: English

Topic: Migration and Labor Dynamics

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funder: Centre for Economic Policy Research