Interracial and Interethnic Relationships - Research Paper Example

?Interracial and Interethnic Relationships In the current world, it is may not be possible to find any society that is purely composed of people of one race or ethnic background. The issue of people from various racial and ethnic backgrounds migrating and mingling with others of different backgrounds has a long history. Such people have learned to accept and live with one another while cooperating for the success of various social, economic and political endeavors. Some of these migrations are long-term or permanent and this has encouraged interracial and, interethnic intimacies and marriages. At first, interracial and interethnic marriages met a lot of resistance in many societies. An example is America where many states instituted the antimiscegenation laws. These laws prohibited interracial marriage. Despite these laws, many children were born out of relationships between Blacks and whites, including black slaves and their white masters. By 1950s, many states had removed such statutes leading to a great rise in interracial as well as interethnic marriages. Such a freedom is worth celebrating although it is disturbing to note the level of marital instability among interracial couples as compared to same-race couples. Throughout this paper, the term interracial marriage will be used to refer to a marriage between people of different racial backgrounds whereas the term interethnic marriages will be used to refer to marriage between people of different ethnic background. To be more precise, ethnicity refers to cultural heritage will is defined in terms of language, life-style, religion and socio-cultural aspects. The history of interracial marriages One society that records the highest level of interracial and interethnic marriages is America. Although majority of these relationships involve individuals from two minority groups, the percentage of such marriages between the blacks and the whites is significant. The history of romances and marriages between African Americans and the white Americans dates back to early 17th century. This is the time when Africans were being shipped to America to serve as slaves. In 1620, the first product of this mingling was brought forth. According to McFadden (264), the initial relationships between the black and white Americans in the US led to the birth of many famous African Americans including Booker T. Washington, Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Martin and Frederick Douglass. The arrival of immigrants from Latin America, Asia and other places increased interracial coupling among racial minorities. Statistics on interracial and interethnic marriages Despite restrictions from antimiscegenation laws, and later Black Codes, relationships and marriages between blacks and whites continued and this was far reaching in those states where the antimiscegenation laws were not introduced. Since the removal of the antimiscegenation laws and the “Black Codes, the rate of marriage between the whites and the blacks greatly increased. Statistics released by the Census Bureau reveal that by 1970, such marriages numbered 300,000 and in 1990, this figure had risen to 1.2 million. Between 1960 and 1990 the percentage of these types of marriages tripled (Swanbrow 24). Apart from the blacks and the whites, interracial marriages in the US also involves other races and ethnic groups. Recent statistics released by the Census Bureau indicate that 65% of Japanese Americans marry people of a different race and 75% of the Native Americans marry outside their ethnicity. The US 2000 census indicates that the percentage of married couples who come from different interracial backgrounds has increased significantly. At that time, they were 2,669,558, accounting for 4.9% (Passel et al 23). In 2008 and 2009, analysis of demographic data relating to all new marriages was done by the Pew Research Center. According to the findings of these studies, 14.6% of all marriages in 2008 were interracial or interethnic. Among all the newlyweds of 2008, racial representation in terms of marrying out was: whites 9%, blacks 16%, Hispanics 26% and Asians 31% (Passel et al 23). This trend is expected to increase in the future. This is hinted by the high percentage of youths who date outside their race. Recent studies reveal that as high as 57% of teenagers have dated somebody from a different racial background while 30% have expressed their interest in marrying outside their race (Knox 70). Marital instability in interracial and same-race couples McFadden (265) explains that initially, the relationships between the blacks and the whites was very good and stable until the time when the US the institutionalized the slavery of blacks. The institutionalization of the slavery blacks changed the nature of relationship between the African Americans and the whites, including sexual relationships. Instead of the former voluntary intimacies and marriages, there set in the raping of African American women by powerful whites and even their masters. Black men were prohibited from looking at white women for long. Those found doing so would be brutally killed. From then on, the relationship between the two races has been associated with violence and this has become one of its major sources of stigma. The institutionalization of slavery was immediately followed by institutionalization of the antimiscegenation laws. The effect of this was increased stigma on individuals or couples engaged in black-white relationships or marriage. When slavery was abolished, stigma and instability of marriages between whites and blacks was enhanced by the institution of the “Black Codes. This was mainly witnessed in the southern states. The main reason behind such actions was a commonly held belief that Africans and the Native Americans were inferior. The whites therefore believed that interbreeding with the two races would lead to a pollution of the white gene. From this, it is evident that the history of marital instability among the white and the black couples dates back to the 17th century, the time when antimiscegenation laws were introduced. In 2008, Rosalind King and Jenifer Bratter conducted a study aimed at revealing whether risk of divorce increased as a result of marrying across racial boundaries. This study was conducted on behalf of Education Resources Information Center. In this study, the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth (Cycle VI), King and Butter compared the likelihood of divorce among couples of different racial backgrounds and those who were from a similar racial background (Passel et al 23). Results from the study conducted reveal that in overall, there were higher rates of divorce in marriages composed of couples from different racial backgrounds as compared to their same-race counterparts. This study also revealed that of all the categories, the divorce rate was higher among couples who married during the late-1980s. Apart from revealing the general likelihood of divorce among interracial couples, the study also revealed divorce prevalence among various interracial couple pairings. The study revealed that marriages composed of a black male and a white female, and those composed of an Asian male and a white females registered higher rates of divorce as compared to marriage unions comprising of two whites. Marriage between two people from a similar minority group is stable as well. The two authors also pointed out that marriage unions between white males and Hispanic/non-Hispanic women, and white males and non-white females were more stable as compared to the above. In fact, they had similar or even lower risks of divorce as compared to marriage between two white persons (Swanbrow 32). From the findings of the study, a union between a white woman and a man from a different racial background has a higher chance of divorce as compared to a marriage between a white man and a woman of a different racial background. Instability in interracial marriages usually arises from external factors mainly, family and society. There are situations in which the family of one of the partners shows lack of acceptance, hostility, resistance and even the rejection of the partner of their kinsperson. There are some issues that bring about such attitudes for example differences in ideologies among generations and conduction of the wedding. Weddings that are a source of controversies are those that involve traditions. After wedding, shake-ups in interracial marriages arise from issues relating to how to raise the children and religious worship. It has also been noted that differences and instability in marriages between people from two racial minorities arise from a failure to integrate each other’s customs. This normally happens especially if one of them is an immigrant. Apart from the family and the two people involved in the marriage, instability in interracial marriages also comes from outside forces like racism from outside sources. There are also some negative stereotypes associated with the various ethnic minorities and this alone impacts greatly on the stability of marriages between interracial interethnic couples. The mindset held as a result of such stereotypes affects how the family of each one of the two will view their partner. They will either reject or accept them. Conclusion Interracial marriages has a long history and so does instability in them. Association with violence, cultural stereotypes and variation in customs, values and beliefs are the main factors are that bring instability in such kind of marriages. Despite the external factors, stability in interracial marriages mainly depends on the ability of the two people to integrate each other’s culture and overcome the various cultural stereotypes. Though there are high levels of instability in marriages between a white and any minority group, studies reveal that this situation is worse if the woman is a white and the man from a minority background. It is important for individuals planning to cross the boundaries to educate their relatives on the culture of their spouse-to-be so as to reduce resistance. Works Cited Knox David, Zusman Marty, Buffington Carmen and Hemphill Gloria. “Interracial dating attitudes among college students.’ College Student Journal. (34) pp 69-70. 2000. McFadden John and Moore James. “Intercultural marriage and intimacy: Beyond the continental divide. International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling.” (23) pp 261–268. 2001. Passel Jeffrey, Wang Wendy and Taylor Paul (2010). “Marrying Out: One-in-Seven New U.S. Marriages is Interracial or Interethnic.” http://pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/10/755-marrying-out.pdf. Retrieved on 18th July, 2011. Swanbrow Diane (2000). "Intimate Relationships Between Races More Common Than Thought". University of Michigan. Read More