The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science

Intermarriage and Integration Revisited: International Experiences and Cross-disciplinary Approaches

Intermarriage has been a subject of study in the social sciences for more than a century, and yet little is known about how intermarriage relates to societal integration. This issue of The ANNALS offers an innovative and nuanced examination of the nexus between intermarriage and integration. The study of “mixedness”—a concept that refers to intermarriage, mixed families, and the sociocultural processes involved—can tell us not only about the socially transformative value of the term itself but can also shed light on the ethnic and cultural divides that hinder inclusion and social cohesion. By investigating mixedness, we can explore the dynamics of pluralism, cultural diversity, and social inclusion/exclusion and evaluate the impact that mixed marriages, families, and individuals have on modern societies.

This volume of The ANNALS offers a look at which groups are more likely to intermarry—to cross racial, ethno-cultural, national, religious, or class boundaries—and how this intermarriage leads to greater integration (whether sociocultural, economic, political, or legal) for individuals who and groups that have not been part of the societal mainstream. This volume brings together cutting-edge theoretically grounded and empirically based research contributions from leading international scholars to focus on the political and socioeconomic dimensions of integration.