Minorities, Identity and Intermarriage by Karolina Lendák-Kabók

Minorities, Identity and Intermarriage by Karolina Lendák-Kabók

Intermarriages, uniting partners from diverse social, ethnic, religious, or racial backgrounds, play a pivotal and perhaps conflictual role in shaping group identities. Celebrated by some for fostering social integration, they are perceived by others within ethnic minority circles as a form of acculturation or even assimilation.

This volume delves into the intricate interplay between identity, kin-state identity policies, and intermarriage, particularly among national minorities. By weaving together historical analysis, autoethnography, and sociology, it aims to debunk the myth of homogeneity within European nation-states, spotlighting the rich diversity within minority groups. The book challenges the traditional view of minority groups as monolithic, instead revealing how intermarriage can blur the lines between different identities, thereby enriching our understanding of identity construction and group unity. It provides a nuanced examination of intermarriages that share citizenship yet differ in ethnic or national backgrounds—an area hitherto largely unexplored. The discussion extends to the effects of such unions on both personal and communal identities, addressing underlying tensions, stereotypes, and prejudices. The work further considers how these choices impact language, education, religious practices, and parenting within minority communities, ultimately strengthening the argument for intermarriage as a significant, transformative social practice.

The collection will be of interest to academics and researchers working in the areas of Anthropology, Cultural Studies, History, Law, Sociology and Minority Studies.

Karolina Lendák-Kabók is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary.

Martin Klatt is Head of the Research Cluster Minority Issues in the Denmark--Germany border region at the European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI).