Hypergamy, Cross-Boundary Marriages, and Family Behavior

54 Pages Posted: 30 Mar 2013

See all articles by Yoram Weiss

Yoram Weiss

Tel Aviv University - Eitan Berglas School of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Junjian Yi

University of Chicago

Junsen Zhang

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) - Department of Economics; IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Abstract

We study the rise in marriages between residents of HK and China following the handover of HK to China in 1997. Cross-boundary marriages accounted for almost half the marriages registered in HK in 2006. Because of large differences in male income between China and HK, marriages of HK men with Mainland women outnumbered those of HK women with mainland men sevenfold. Following the handover, HK women had lower marriage, higher divorce and higher emigration rates. These outcomes are predicted by our matching model and contradict the hypothesis that cross-boundary marriages were driven by rising education of HK women.

Keywords: one-way permit, hypergamy, cross-boundary marriage, family behavior

JEL Classification: F22, J11, J12

Suggested Citation

Weiss, Yoram and Yi, Junjian and Zhang, Junsen, Hypergamy, Cross-Boundary Marriages, and Family Behavior. IZA Discussion Paper No. 7293, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2241957 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2241957

Yoram Weiss (Contact Author)

Tel Aviv University - Eitan Berglas School of Economics ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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IZA Institute of Labor Economics

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Junjian Yi

University of Chicago ( email )

Junsen Zhang

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) - Department of Economics ( email )

Shatin, N.T.
Hong Kong
852-2609-8186 (Phone)
852-2603-5805 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/eco/staff/jszhang/jzhang.htm

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

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