Preliminary Programme

Wed 24 March
    8:30
    10:45
    14:15
    16:30

Thu 25 March
    8:30
    10:45
    14:15
    16:30

Fri 26 March
    8:30
    10:45
    14.15
    16.30

Sat 27 March
    8:30
    10:45
    14:15
    16:30

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Wednesday 24 March 2004 14:15
M-3 FAM33 Endogamy and partnerchoice in comparative perspective I
Room M
Networks: Family and Demography , Social Inequality Chair: Marco Van Leeuwen
Organizers: Antoinette Fauve-Chamoux, Marco Van Leeuwen Discussants: -
Martin Dribe, Martin Dribe & Christer Lundh : Finding a Partner: Mate Selection in Southern Sweden 1766-1895
Choosing a marriage partner was a crucial process in the preindustrial society, especially for the landowning classes. In this paper we study mate selection in five rural parishes in southern Sweden between 1766 and 1895. We use an individual level database containing information on a large number of marriages and ... (Show more)
Choosing a marriage partner was a crucial process in the preindustrial society, especially for the landowning classes. In this paper we study mate selection in five rural parishes in southern Sweden between 1766 and 1895. We use an individual level database containing information on a large number of marriages and the social origin of the marrying couple regardless of whether they were born in the parish or not. This makes it possible to study different aspects of endogamy, such as social status, age and geographical area, without introducing selection biases by only studying the non-migrating population. The main focus of the paper will be on the social aspects of endogamy, i.e. to what extent marriage partners were chosen within ones social status and which factors that could make such assortative mating impossible. In addition we will also study the geographical aspects of the marriage market as well as age-differences between spouses. (Show less)

Luigi Lorenzetti, Reto Schumacher : Endogamy in urban context. Evidences from Swiss towns, 1850-1910
This paper is part of a research project financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) on Switzerland’s population history between 1815 and 1945.
Using data from marriage certificates of various urban localities during the 19th century, we want to analyse different forms of endogamy (geographic and socio-professional as well as ... (Show more)
This paper is part of a research project financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) on Switzerland’s population history between 1815 and 1945.
Using data from marriage certificates of various urban localities during the 19th century, we want to analyse different forms of endogamy (geographic and socio-professional as well as age homogamy) in a comparative perspective. More precisely, our aim is to verify in which order the characteristics of local labour markets affected the functioning of matrimonial markets. Furthermore, we would like to study the impact of various forms of urban economic development on partner choice patterns. To achieve this, we shall focus on towns dominated by the watch-and-clock industry, on textile centres as well as on commercial and administrative cities of German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. In other words, we are interested in the interconnections between the dynamics of matrimonial markets and the structures of labour markets. Finally, we will try to determine under what conditions the hiring in the labour markets – strongly influenced by immigration – affected endogamy. (Show less)

Gilbert Ritschard, Grazyna Ryczkowska : Endogamy - Community. Inter-generational mobility in 19th century Geneva
A sample of marriages celebrated in Geneva from 1800 to 1880 has been collected on an alphabetical basis (people with a name beginning by the letter B). We linked the certificates to reconstruct the stable family lines in 19th century Geneva. The aim is to look at endogamy in an ... (Show more)
A sample of marriages celebrated in Geneva from 1800 to 1880 has been collected on an alphabetical basis (people with a name beginning by the letter B). We linked the certificates to reconstruct the stable family lines in 19th century Geneva. The aim is to look at endogamy in an intergenerational perspective, and possibly to observe community dynamics within an urban population. (Show less)

Bart van de Putte, Andrew Miles : Endogamy according to social origin in 19th century Flanders and England
Societal openness refers to the extent to which individuals are able to cross group boundaries in social interactions such as partner selection. A central question in the research on partner selection (and social mobility) is whether societal openness increased during the 19th century. Modernisation theory - and the closely related ... (Show more)
Societal openness refers to the extent to which individuals are able to cross group boundaries in social interactions such as partner selection. A central question in the research on partner selection (and social mobility) is whether societal openness increased during the 19th century. Modernisation theory - and the closely related 'thesis of industrialism' - claims that due to the growing importance of bureaucracy and formal recruitment procedures, society gradually became more meritocratic, in the sense that the importance of social origin in determining life chances diminished. In such a society, the social position of the fathers of the spouses is expected to have a less important role in the partner selection process.
This vision is questioned in several ways. First, class formation theory proposes an alternative explanation for the (possible) rise of openness. This theory accepts that social barriers weakened, but that this was a partial process mainly affecting the pattern of social interaction between lower class groups. This led to a new form of closure, namely to the emergence of a more homogenous, self-recruiting and therefore self-conscious working class group. Secondly, there are indications that there were high rates of fluidity between the lower class groups very early in the 19th century. Possible reasons for this include 'urban crisis' (a combination of economic transition, migration and decreasing standard of living), which
diminished paternal relevance and power.
Endogamy according to social origin is analysed in a comparative perspective using information from marriage certificates from Flemish cities (Leuven, Aalst and Gent; 1800-1913) and English districts (1839-1914). In this analysis, a new system for the classification of historical occupational titles is used (HISCO/SOCPO). (Show less)



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