1-3 september 2008census microdata 2008 mixed-ethnic unions in england and wales in the 1990s...

1-3 September 2008 Census microdata 2008

Mixed-Ethnic Unions in England and Wales in the

1990sZhiqiang Feng1,2

Gillian Raab1,2 Paul Boyle1,2 Maarten van Ham1

University of St Andrews1

Longitudinal Studies Centre for Scotland2

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/arms/univarms.html


Outline

• Introduction

• Data and methodology

• Results

• Conclusions


Why study mixed-ethnic unions?

• Mixed-ethnic unions – Demonstrate break-down of ethnic barriers and are

suggestive of degree of ethnic integration in a society– Numbers are small but increasing– Create new minority groups-mixed ethnic groups

• Geographical Segregation– Numerous studies have ignored mixing within

households/families

• Government actively promotes integration of ethnic minorities


Theories

• Assimilation– Most assimilated groups more likely to cross ethnic

lines to out-partner• Demography

– Sex ratio– Relative size

• Social exchange– Lower status majority members partner higher status

minority members• Segregation

– Reduce opportunity to meet potential partners


Mixed ethnic unions (MEUs) in England and Wales

• Non white population increased from 5% in 1991 to 9% in 2001

• Mixed ethnic unions are defined as couples who are either married or cohabiting

• Mixed ethnic unions increased from 1.2% in 1991 to 2.4% in 2001


Existing Studies in Britain

• Data sources– Labour Force Surveys (Jones 1984, Coleman

1985, 2004)– The Fourth National Survey of Ethnic

Minorities (1994) (Muttarak 2003)– Census

• 1991 Household SARs (Berrington 1996, Model & Fisher 2002)

• ONS LS (Muttarak 2005)


Data source

• Household Samples of Anonymised Records (HH SARs)– 1991 and 2001– 1% sample of England and Wales (200,000)– Ethnicity question introduced from 1991– For 2001 HH SARs those whose ethnicity

answers were imputed were excluded– Age 16-39


Definition of ethnic groups

Presentation group

in the study 1991 2001

White (W) White British

Irish

Other white

Black (B) Black-Caribbean Black-Caribbean

Black-African Black-African

Black other Other Black

Black & White White & Black Caribbean

White & Black African

South Asian (SA) Indian Indian

Pakistani Pakistani

Bangladeshi Bangladeshi

Other Asian (OA) Chinese Chinese

Other Asian Other Asian

Others (O) Other ethnic group: White & Asian

Other mixed

Other ethnic group


White Black South Asian

Other Asian

White W-W

Black B-W B-B

South Asian

SA-W SA-B SA-SA

Other Asian

OA-W OA-B OA-SA OA-OA

Classifications of mixed-ethnic unions


Research questions

1. What are the demographic characteristics of MEUs in 1991 and in 2001? Do these characteristics change?

2. Is there a growth in propensity in MEUs between 1991 and 2001?


Proportions of people in mixed-unions by ethnic group

England and Wales, Data Source: 1991 and 2001 ONS LS

020

4060

80P

erce

ntag

e

White Black South Asian Other Asian Other

ManWoman ManWoman ManWoman ManWoman ManWoman

Source: 1991 & 2001 HH SARs

People aged 16-39 in mixed ethnic unions(MEUs)

1991 2001


Number of people (16-39) who out-partner with a white person

1991 2001

Males Females Males Females

Black 205 111 272 169

South Asian 79 36 94 77

Other Asian 41 92 57 74

other 109 68 149 217


Proportions of people partnering a white person

020

4060

80P

erce

ntag

e

Black South Asian Other Asian Other

Man Woman Man Woman Man Woman Man Woman


People aged 16-39 and with a white partner

1991 2001


020

4060

80P

erce

ntag

e

Black South Asian Other Asian Other

Man Woman Man Woman Man Woman Man Woman


People aged 16-39 and with a white partner

1991 2001

020

4060

80P

erce

ntag

e

White Black South Asian Other Asian Other

ManWoman ManWoman ManWoman ManWoman ManWoman


People aged 16-39 in mixed ethnic unions(MEUs)

1991 2001


020

4060

Per

cent

age

Black South Asian Other Asian

Man Woman Man Woman Man Woman

Source: 1991 HH SARs

Country of birth, 1991

Born outside UK Born in UK

Proportion of people in MEUs by country of birth

020

4060

Per

cent

age




Country of birth, 2001

Born outside UK Born in UK


020

4060

80P

erce

ntag

e




Marital Status, 1991

married cohabiting

020

4060

80P

erce

ntag

e




Marital Status, 2001

married cohabiting

Proportion of people in MEUs by marital status


010

2030

4050

Per

cent

age




Social class, 1991

Professional/Managerial Non-manual skilled

Manual skilled unskilled/operational

010

2030

4050

Per

cent

age




Social class, 2001

Professional/Managerial Non-manual skilled

Manual skilled unskilled/operational

Proportion of people in MEUs by social class


Proportion of people in MEUs by educational qualification

010

2030

4050

Per

cent

age




Qualification, 1991

Lower/No Higher

010

2030

4050

Per

cent

age




Qualification, 2001

Lower/No Higher


Trends of MEUs between 1991 and 2001

• Is there a growth in propensity in MEUs in England and Wales in the 1990s?


Log-linear model

• Take into account of population sizes• Widely used in mixed ethnic unions studies

in US

ABij

Bj

AiFLog )( ij


• Reclassify ethnic groups:– NB white—White born in UK– NB Black—Black Born in UK– FB Black—Black born outside UK– NB South Asian (NB SA)—South Asian born

in UK– FB South Asian (FB SA)—South Asian born

outside UK– Other Asian (OA)


• Variables – Ethnicity – Age– Marital status– Qualification

• Exogamy preference coefficient is derived from the model as the number of people choosing out-partnering for every 1000 people who choose in-partnering


020

4060

80P

er 1

000

NB Black FB Black NB SA FB SA OA

source: 1991 & 2001 SARs

Exogamy Coefficient

1991 2001


Conclusions

The demographic characteristics of MEUs1. Those who were born in UK had higher

percentages in MEUs2. Those who were cohabiting were more

likely to be in MEUs3. Blacks who were in lower qualifications

were more likely to engage in MEUs, while South Asian and Other Asian in higher qualifications more likely


Conclusions

4. The patterns were persistent with minor changes in the 1990s

5. For Native born Black and South Asian there is a growth in propensity of out-partnering white people, while for other ethnic groups the exogamous preferences remained basically the same


Acknowledgements

• This research is funded by the ESRC under the Understanding Population Trends and Processes (UPTAP) programme (Award Ref: RES-1563-25-0045)

• The permission of the Office for National Statistics to use the 2001 Special licence HH SARs is gratefully acknowledged. The 2001 Special licence HH SARs were accessed from the data archive. THE 1991 HH SARs were accessed from CCSR, Manchester University. The authors alone are responsible for the interpretation of the data

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/arms/univarms.html

1-3 september 2008census microdata 2008 mixed-ethnic unions in england and wales in the 1990s...

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asian oa slide

mixedethnic unions

mixed ethnic unions

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mixed ethnic unions