title: Crossing boundaries: nativity, ethnicity, and mate selection.
abstract: The influx of immigrants has increased diversity among ethnic minorities and indicates that they may take multiple integration paths in American society. Previous research on ethnic integration has often focused on panethnic differences, and few have explored ethnic diversity within a racial or panethnic context. Using 2000 U.S. census data for Puerto Rican-, Mexican-, Chinese-, and Filipino-origin individuals, we examine differences in marriage and cohabitation with whites, with other minorities, within a panethnic group, and within an ethnic group by nativity status. Ethnic endogamy is strong and, to a lesser extent, so is panethnic endogamy. Yet, marital or cohabiting unions with whites remain an important path of integration but differ significantly by ethnicity, nativity, age at arrival, and educational attainment. Meanwhile, ethnic differences in marriage and cohabitation with other racial or ethnic minorities are strong. Our analysis supports that unions with whites remain a major path of integration, but other paths of integration also become viable options for all ethnic groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University, 238 Townshend Hall, 1885 Neil Avenue Mall, Columbus, OH 43210-1222, USA. qian.26@sociology.osu.edu
authors.forename: Zhenchao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Glick
authors.forename: Christie D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Batson
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019352:Censuses; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004522:Educational Status; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000639:trends*; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010679:Philippines / Q000208:ethnology; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult