Nativity, Language, Education, and Pan-Hispanic Intermarriage

Hyoung-jin Shin, Brown University

Panethnicity among the people of Hispanic origin remains an important subject of social science research. While some scholars claim that pan-Hispanic ethnicity is part of a greater assimilation process arguing that adopting such labeling is a sign of attenuating distinctive ethnic boundaries, others maintain that the development of panethnicity is not associated with incorporation into the mainstream society. This study attempts to contribute to the understanding of pan-Hispanic ethnicity by investigating the role of nativity, language, and education on panethnic intermarriage among persons of different Hispanic national origins using the 2000 U.S. census 5 percent PUMS data. Investigating panethnic intermarriage patterns among different Hispanic groups contributes to our understanding of ethnic group boundaries, and sheds light on the nature of pan-Hispanic ethnicity. This study tests key research hypothesis derived from assimilation models and cultural pluralism utilizing multivariate log-linear models and other statistical methods.