Marrying 'the Other': Trends and Determinants of Culturally Mixed Marriages in Québec, 1880-1940

The authors examine the determinants of ethno-religious intermarriage in Quebec over a century as an indication of integration in a province where minority/majority relations are distinct from the rest of Canada. Using data from the 1881, 1911 and 1941 censuses, the authors examine ethno-religious intermarriage among couples who were married at the time of the census for three successive generations, thirty years apart. Using multilevel analysis, they distinguish between the role of individual level determinants such as the ethno-religious identity, knowledge of French and English, level of education and immigrant status as well as characteristics of the areas in which these couples lived, such as type of milieu (rural and urban), sex ratio and degree of cultural diversity, separately for men and women. They confirm the importance of contextual variables both on their own and in addition to spouses' characteristics. They found that the models are relatively stable over the entire period and point to the importance of structural factors as well as the ethnic diversity of the area at the contextual level; cultural preferences also play a role, most especially among the Jewish couples. British Catholics (mostly Irish) show a particularly high propensity to marry across language and religious lines, reflecting their special position in Quebec society.

Canadian Ethnic Studies / Études ethniques au Canada

Vol. 47

no. 3

111-141

2015

en