Union Formation and Dissolution among Second Generation Turkish Immigrants in West Germany

Muserref Erdogan , demography MA student
Ayse Abbasoglu Ozgoren, Hacettepe University Institute of Population Studies

In 2018, one in four people had an immigrant background in Germany, whose largest share has been Turkish immigrants. Descendants of Turkish immigrants have been entering young adulthood, indicating a period that is significant to analyze union trajectories within this population. Since the 1960s, most of Europe has been experiencing a shift in its demographic behaviors theorized as the Second Demographic Transition. Although this change shows distinct features in each country in terms of pace and order among European societies, we can easily assert its existence by just looking at its reflection on family dynamics. Delay in the timing of family formation, various union arrangements, increase in dissolution and cohabitation patterns are some of the transformations which are linked to this transition. Given that fact, this paper analyzes partnership dynamics —both formation and dissolution— among descendants of Turkish immigrants and natives in West Germany to compare the levels as well as the drivers. This study uses the first wave of data from Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam) survey with a reference period of 2008-2009, and employs event-history models to analyze transitions from (1) celibacy to first partnership, (2) celibacy to the first marriage/first cohabitation, and (3) cohabitation to marriage/separation, and marriage to divorce. As union trajectories are crucial to understand integration mechanisms of immigrant populations in the host country, we will be able to refer to theoretical hypotheses concerning this process as well.

See extended abstract

 Presented in Session P3. Poster Session Migration, Economics, Environment, Methods, History and Policy