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Title: Trading Youth for Citizenship? The Spousal Age Gap in Cross-Border Marriages
Citation Type: Journal Article
Publication Year: 2017
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Abstract: Data from several recent years of the American Community Survey (hereafter ACS) allow us to study the intersection of marriage, migration, and citizenship among cross-border marriages in the United States. We use information on year of migration and year of marriage to identify immigrants whose timing of migration is closely linked to their timing of marriage (i.e., those who marry in their home country or marry in the same year they enter the US). We compare these marriage migrants to immigrants who marry after residing in the US for more than a year. We also extend the literature on immigrant marriage patterns in the US by considering the citizenship status of a migrant's spouse rather than simply the spouse's nativity. Emerging research suggests that “the citizenship status of the marriage partner is crucial” in understanding the experiences of immigrants and that “marriages involving one or more non-citizens are qualitatively different from marriages joining partners who share a secure status in their country of residence” (Williams 2010, p. 24). This is a clarifying distinction because citizenship, regardless of nativity status, offers many advantages related to economic opportunity and civil liberties (Aptekar 2015).
Url: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/padr.12072/full
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Authors: Balistreri, Kelly, S; Joyner, Kara; Kao, Grace
Periodical (Full): Population and Development Review
Issue: 3
Volume: 43
Pages: 23
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Family and Marriage, Migration and Immigration
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