Gendered partner selection among overseas Chinese in the West and the motivations behind it

Studies up to now have shown the difference in partner/spouse selection between men and women of ethnic minority groups overseas but lack in-depth exploration of the reasons behind such selection.This study aims to fill the gap by exploring the different types of motivations that drive men and women of ethnic minorities to select their partners/spouses.Using quantitative and qualitative data,we compared partner/spouse selection dynamics and motivations among overseas Chinese men and women.Our study on Chinese people living in Belgium reveal significant gender differences in spouse selection between men and women,with more women likely to go in for intermarriage than men.In our interviews,we found that the underlying motivations for women’s preference for intermarriage lie in their fondness for Western family culture and their desire to make the host country their permanent home.We also found that in their partner-spouse selection,women were less influenced by social norms or pressure from parents and family,which are the main factors driving endogamy.Although the gender ratio in the marriage market is more or less even,cultural factors and possible different adaptation methods of men and women prompt Chinese people to consider or reject their compatriots as suitable partners/spouses.

Cohabitation among Chinese minorities in Western countries: an alternative family formation strategy for disadvantaged groups?

Using data of Chinese immigrants extracted from the Belgian National Register registering a cohabitation or marriage between 2005 and 2015(N=3945),this study aims to advance the understanding of cohabitation among disadvantaged groups in local marriage markets.From the difference in prevalence of cohabitation between Chinese men and women,we conclude that Chinese immigrants could use cohabita-tion rather as a practical living arrangement in the context of recent migration rather than as an alternative to marriage,as the receiving society does.The practical living strategy of ethnic minorities enhances our understanding of cohabitation among dis-advantaged groups,for whom the choice for cohabiting would be largely influenced by the home familial culture.