Marrying Out: Trends and Patterns of Mixed Marriage amongst Qataris

Abstract

Social scientists have extensively studied mixed marriage in its different forms since the beginning of the past century, especially in the western societies. While there is a considerable body of international literature pertaining to mixed marriage, very little research has been conducted on mixed marriage in the Arab region in general and in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) area in particular. Virtually, no empirical study to our knowledge has examined mixed marriage in Qatar. The purpose of this study is thus to analyze and outline the trends and patterns of mixed marriage among Qatari nationals. The results indicated that although the endogamous marriage (Qataris males married to Qatari females) is the main marriage pattern among the Qatari population, mixed marriage in Qatar is on the rise. Mixed marriage among Qatari males compared to Qatari females has increased systematically since 1985. In addition, Qatari females are more likely than males to marry someone from the other GCC area. Meanwhile, in the last few years Qatari males have tended to marry from outside the GCC countries, mainly from other Arab countries. Social, demographic, and cultural implications of mixed marriage among Qataris need to be a central focus for family policy.