Drawing exclusively on secondary data from publicly available national surveys and institutional reports, including the Indonesia Demographic and Health Surveys (IDHS), which cover approximately 50,000 scientifically selected households across all provinces, this study analyzes national patterns of interethnic and interfaith marriages and their broader social implications. Data from the Central Bureau of Statistics show that interethnic marriages account for 89.3 percent of marriages, while data from the Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace (ICRP) indicate a monthly increase of 12–15 interfaith marriage cases. These findings demonstrate a consistent growth of interethnic and interfaith marriages across regions, with Java and Bali showing particularly notable increases, especially among Muslim–Christian–Catholic unions. The rise in interethnic marriages is closely associated with urbanization, higher educational attainment, and intensified cross-ethnic interaction, while the growth of interfaith marriages reflects expanding religious diversity and shifting social norms. This study argues that interethnic and interfaith marriages function as a form of social integration that challenges rigid identity boundaries and reinforces Indonesian nationalism grounded in diversity. From a socio-legal and human rights perspective, the findings highlight the urgency of systematic state recognition and registration of interfaith marriages to ensure equal legal protection and to prevent institutional discrimination against citizens.

Modern Europe is a space of cultural diversity, where dozens of peoples and languages coexist. One of the significant social phenomena reflecting the processes of integration is interethnic marriages. Their prevalence is growing, and their social significance is becoming more and more noticeable.

This article examines the shifting role of women in Minangkabau society, the world's largest matrilineal Muslim community, where contemporary dynamics challenge traditional institutional structures and value systems. This research analyzes how social mobility, migration, and institutional changes affect Minangkabau women's position as Bundo Kanduang, situating findings within comparative perspectives on matrilineal Muslim communities in majority and minority contexts. The research employed a phenomenological approach involving observation, in-depth interviews with 40 informants across five West Sumatra districts (Tanah Datar, Agam, Lima Puluh Kota, Padang Pariaman, Solok), and document analysis. Data interpretation centered on women's lived experiences to understand institutional and value transformation dynamics. Results reveal women's roles shifted from collective matrilineal responsibilities to nuclear family focus, driven by external factors (globalization, education, inter-ethnic marriage) and internal factors (value reinterpretation, institutional desacralization). Traditional institutions like Rumah Gadang and Bundo Kanduang organizations experienced functional decline. Comparative analysis demonstrates that Minangkabau women in majority Muslim contexts navigate internally-driven changes with substantial adaptive space for syncretic shariah-adat negotiation, while matrilineal Muslim minorities face intense external pressures from dominant patrilineal legal frameworks, resulting in accelerated institutional transformation with constrained individual agency. Role transformation results from complex global-local interactions, with adaptation mechanisms differing systematically between majority and minority contexts. These findings illuminate Islamic family law's differential flexibility across socio-political settings and provide crucial insights for developing culturally sensitive policies supporting matrilineal Muslim communities navigating modernization pressures globally.

In traditional society, until the second half of the XIX century, same-ethnic marriages prevailed among the Yukaghirs. Initially, socioeconomic conditions (epidemics, famine, extinction of clans, etc.) forced marriages with members of “foreign” ethnic groups. Therefore, interethnic marriages were primarily concluded between members of different indigenous minorities of the North, who, as a rule, have a similar economic and cultural type. Later, after the Yukaghirs became acquainted with the Russian Cossacks and Slavic settlers, due to the absence or lack of their women among the latter, interethnic unions began to appear, which subsequently led to the emergence of some specific ethnic groups (Chuvans) with a syncretic culture. Moreover, such marriages were considered as an opportunity to “dilute” and “strengthen” their bloodline. During the years of Soviet power, as a result of various social transformations (collectivization, enlargement of villages, migration to towns, etc.), the boundaries between “friend” and “foe” became even more blurred, leading to a further increase in mixed marriages. Currently, in our opinion, this boundary is essentially nonexistent: the Yukaghirs not only have marriages with Slavic population, but also have families with people from near and far abroad. The reasons for this phenomenon, in addition to the fact that such unions involve second, third, and fourth generations of mestizos people, are the high percentage of consanguineous ties within the ethnic group, and the unfavorable sex ratio (women outnumber men, especially at reproductive age).

This research examines inter-ethnic marriages between Acehnese and Bugis-Makassar communities in Makassar City from 1990 to 2004, which emerged as a consequence of social mobility, cross-cultural interaction, and compatibility of religious values. The purpose of this study is to explain the factors that trigger inter-ethnic marriages, the underlying customary processes, and the socio-cultural dynamics that occur within family life. This research uses historical methods, including the heuristic stage, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography, with data obtained thru in-depth interviews with four families and related documentary sources. The research findings indicate that holding a wedding requires cultural negotiation between the two groups, with some families adopting traditional Acehnese ceremonial customs, while others implement Bugis-Makassar traditions. In family life, couples face differences in values regarding communication, gender role division, and religious practices, which are then overcome thru a dialogue-based process of adaptation and compromise. This process results in the formation of hybrid cultural identities, the expansion of social networks, and the strengthening of inter-ethnic integration. Overall, intertribal marriages serve as a medium for cultural reconciliation and a means of building more inclusive social relationships in a multicultural society.

In recent decades, South Korea has experienced a sustained rise in international marriages, reshaping the nation’s sociocultural landscape. While much attention has been given to multicultural families formed through marriages with women from Southeast Asia, studies on Russian-speaking women from CIS countries and their children born or raised in South Korea remain limited. This paper examines the processes of ethnic identification among these children, drawing on qualitative and quantitative data collected since 2013 through field research. Grounded in key theories of ethnic identity – Erikson’s psychosocial development, Gordon’s assimilation, Greeley’s pluralism, and Cooley’s “looking-glass self” – the study also considers prominent South Korean research on multicultural families, including the 2015 National Multicultural Families Survey. Employing a mixed-methods approach of unstructured interviews, surveys, and discourse analysis, the research reveals different patterns of ethnic identification within these families. Preliminary findings indicate that children of Russian-speaking marriage migrants often adopt situationally dependent ethnic identities. Their sense of identity is shaped by external factors (appearance, language proficiency), family dynamics (parental ethnic status, naming practices), and institutional context (education system, state policy). Adolescents who migrated with their mothers tend to develop hybrid or multicultural identities, whereas those born in Korea are more likely to assimilate into Korean society more fully. The study emphasizes the influence of the post-Soviet cultural background in shaping these identity dynamics and calls for more nuanced multicultural policies in South Korea. Keywords: ethnic identity, multicultural families, Russian-speaking migrants, interethnic marriage, South Korea, children of migrants.

This research examines the position of children from mixed marriages between Minangkabau and Javanese ethnicities in Lubuk Kilangan Sub-district, Padang City, based on the viewpoint of customary stakeholders. Problems arise due to differences in kinship systems: Minangkabau adheres to a matrilineal system, while Java is bilateral. This difference affects children's identity, inheritance rights and involvement in adat. The method used is qualitative ethnography with a participatory observation approach, in-depth interviews with traditional leaders, and document studies. The results show that maternal lineage is the main factor in determining the position of children. Children of Minangkabau mothers are traditionally recognized, have rights to high pusako, and are involved in traditional activities. In contrast, children of Javanese mothers are considered “nan indak basuku” (not tribal) and do not have customary inheritance rights, even though the father is Minang. The status of the child is determined through customary deliberation by the customary leader. However, the division of property from the family business can be done based on the principles of Islamic law. The research reveals the tension between inclusive national legal principles and strict customary rules, as well as the family's efforts to adjust to customary forms of exclusion. The research recommends adjustments to civil registration policies, improved cross-cultural communication and an evaluation of the role of customary stakeholders to ensure children's rights in a multicultural society.

This study focuses on the analysis of interethnic marriages in four Asian countries: China, South Korea, Japan, and India. The unique historical, cultural, and demographic characteristics of these countries allow us to identify both general trends and specific manifestations of this social phenomenon. The study explores the historical origins, cultural, and social aspects of interethnic marriages, as well as the impact of globalization on interethnic relations in the Asian region.

Abstract The non-standard Latin inscriptions of Durocortorum (modern Rheims) offer a unique profile among the inscriptions of the Northwest. They exhibit a reduced range of factors of Romanisation and of linguistic features, some of which, though, are unmatched within this regional corpus. The city’s role as capital of the province Belgica and as the place of Clovis’ christening contrasts with the lowest numbers of official and Christian inscriptions, whilst the unique successful resistance against Late Antique Germanic invaders chimes with the absence of Germanic names. Citizenship, military service, interethnic marriages and religion played an inferior role in the integration of a large resident Gaulish population that was achieved via economic opportunities (esp. pottery making) and the importation and production of amenity commodities (esp. oculist boxes) which the city’s location at a crossroad of Roman roads favoured. While Gaulish substratum influence is limited proportionately to the writing occasions ( -o(s) , drop of -s and other final consonants, syncope, degemination), we find the first appellative in the Northwest ( vi(m)pi ‘pretty’) and may claim Gaulish influence on the prominent vicious use of cases. The inscriptions further stand out by phonetic changes that are to be accounted for by assimilation or analogy as well as possibly by Gaulish (degemination) and Greek (degemination, loss of h and of nasal before stop) influence.

This study analyses the dynamics of communication between the Chinese and Bugis ethnic groups in Soppeng Regency using a descriptive qualitative approach with participant observation and in-depth interviews with key informants from both ethnic groups. The focus of the study is the process of communicative adaptation and the mechanisms of social integration that are built in daily interactions. The findings show multidimensional communicative adaptation, including: (1) Linguistic convergence through the adoption of the Bugis language with the internalization of the concept of mappakatau and the use of the discursive particles "je" and "ki" as markers of solidarity; (2) Hybridity of nonverbal communication in gestures, color symbolism, and the concept of time; (3) Active religious tolerance through cross-participation in celebrations and voluntary conversion in interethnic marriages; (4) Involvement in the preservation of traditional Bugis arts; (5) Economic interdependence that strengthens community cohesion. The identified communication patterns show an "adaptive integration" strategy characterised by selective adoption, reciprocal accommodation, and maintenance of core identity while developing cross-cultural communicative competence. Interethnic communication in Soppeng is harmonious due to inclusive community leadership, economic interdependence, and a shared commitment to tolerance. This study provides lessons for the development of multicultural communication in the Indonesian context.

This study examines the stages of the mangain tradition in marriages between the Toba Batak and Karo ethnic groups in Pintu Angin Village and examines the importance of clans (marga) within the Toba Batak ethnic group. This study employed a qualitative descriptive approach, with data collection techniques including interviews, observation, and documentation. The results of this study demonstrate that the mangain tradition must be applied to marriages between the Toba Batak and Karo ethnic groups. For the Toba Batak community, clans are a vital identity, and interethnic marriages clearly hold a place within the Toba Batak traditional institution, the Dalihan Na Tolu structure. However, the mangain tradition also serves as a gateway for people outside the Toba Batak ethnic group to join the Toba Batak community. Furthermore, the Pintu Angin Village community supports this tradition as a cultural heritage that must be upheld. The mangain process is also seen as maintaining the dignity of Toba Batak customs and demonstrating mutual respect between ethnic groups.

Abstract I study the role of endogamy, or marrying within the same cultural-ethnic group, on marital instability. Using Italian administrative data on the universe of marriages and separations, I show that interethnic marriages exhibit a 15 percent higher risk of separation than homogamous marriages of natives. Moreover, interethnic marriages between native women and immigrant men are 6.4 percentage points more at risk than marriages between native men and immigrant women. Gender differences map onto cultural differences. Intermarriages of immigrants with marked cultural divides are significantly more at risk, and different measures of cultural distance are informative about the incidence of separation.

The objectives of this study are to investigate the demographic dynamics of Russia's population in post-Soviet Armenia, to analyze the relationships between natural reproduction and migration, and to record changes in the age, sex, and settlement patterns of the Russian-speaking community. A systems approach was employed in this complex study, using demographic, ethno-geographical, and sociological methods. It has been established that a period of rapid decline in the Russian population took place in the 1990s when the number of Russian speakers in Armenia decreased three-fold (from 51,500 to 14,700). In the early 2000s the rate of decline slowed down (-18,8%) but then increased again. At the end of 2010, in three of ten regions, the proportion of Russians was less than 0.1% and in four more it was between 0.1 and 0.2%. Most Russian settlers lived in two established villages (Lermontovo and Fioletovo). Migration was a major factor in the ongoing depopulation, but its contribution to the overall decline decreased from 98–99% in the late 1980s to around 75–80% in the early 1900s. Natural losses and assimilation also contributed to population decline, especially due to high rates of inter-ethnic marriage among Russian women with local men. The decline was accompanied by changes in sex and age structures, with a significant female predominance and an increase in median age. The trend of depopulation was reversed by the arrival of a new group of migrants, who increased from 20,20 to 2040. This group consisted mainly of young and mid-aged males, which helped to balance the gender imbalance and age distribution of the Russian diaspora. Migrants were concentrated in Yerevan, which became a demographic center with over 90%, compared to 40% in previous decades. The future of this group remains uncertain, but their arrival has already had a significant impact on the demographics of Armenia.

The Batak ethnic group is known for upholding traditional customs and cultural values passed down through generations. Even in the modern era, many Batak communities continue to adhere to cultural norms and believe in various ancestral myths that shape their daily lives. This adherence often fosters patriarchal attitudes and leads to intergenerational tensions, particularly between parents and younger generations who adopt more modern perspectives. This study aims to analyze the representation of Batak customs in the film Catatan Harian Menantu Sinting by exploring its denotative, connotative, and mythological meanings through Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework. The research employs a qualitative descriptive method with content analysis techniques, supported by literature review and visual documentation focused on scenes that portray Batak cultural practices. The findings reveal that the film illustrates how Batak traditions—such as gender roles, the expectation of having male offspring, and prohibitions against interethnic marriage—are still observed in contemporary society. The film highlights generational conflicts that reflect shifting values and the challenges of maintaining traditional norms amidst societal change. Ultimately, the film serves as a cultural mirror that captures the tension between tradition and modernity in today’s Batak community.

The Sasak Polite Language is part of the cultural heritage of the Lombok community, reflecting its social structure and values of local wisdom. However, its existence is facing challenges due to the influence of globalization and social shifts. This study aims to examine the form of maintenance of Sasak Polite Language by noble families in Padamara Village, Sukamulia District, East Lombok Regency. The focus of the research includes preservation efforts, obstacles faced, and the variety of languages maintained in social interactions. The method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection through observation and interviews. The results of the study show that noble families maintain the Sasak Polite Language in three main domains: family, neighbors, and public space. In the family realm, the language is used in daily communication between family members; in the neighboring realm, its use depends on the social background of the interlocutor; while in the general realm, Polite Language is used consistently. The main challenges in preserving this language include the flow of globalization, the dominance of other languages, and inter-ethnic marriages that have an impact on language transmission. The form of Sasak Polite Language that is maintained includes a variety of speech between fellow nobles and between nobles and non-nobles. These findings show that the preservation of Sasak Polite Language is still ongoing in a limited environment, but faces pressure from evolving socio-cultural changes.

The scientific article contains the results of international collaboration between researchers on certain cultural aspects, public policies, and inheritance laws in the countries of the African continent, in particular in the Republic of Benin (West Africa).The relevance of the topic is due to the lack of scientific research in this segment in domestic theoretical and legal science and the simultaneous acuteness of the issues of implementing inheritance rights in the conditions of traditional and modern African law. In the course of the work, the conceptual principles and guidelines of the legal mentality of Beninese society were identified and characterized. The institutional challenges of traditionalism and modernity in the state and legal system of Benin are emphasized. The role of the liquidator (manager) of hereditary property is clarified and the expediency of creating a Unified Register of Inheritance Cases is emphasized. The socially dangerous acts regarding the legal rights and interests of heirs are emphasized. It is established that the instrument. It has been established that various forms of document forgery, manipulative influence, threats, extortion, misleading the judiciary, etc. serve as tools for unlawful actions. The result of such actions is the unlawful possession, use, disposal, embezzlement, concealment, damage, and destruction of inherited property. The polemic of the narratives of inheritance law with the foreign element in interethnic marriages is revealed and the modes of legal reality of the discourse «regime matrimonialle» are determined, which made it possible to reveal the set of meanings of socio-legal relations of modern African inheritance law and African culture. The obtained research results can be used in: scientific research - in deepening scientific knowledge about the African legal system, hereditary law of the peoples of the world; law enforcement - in considering cases in the field of private international law; educational activities – when teaching the courses «Theory of State and Law », « International Law », « Modern Legal Systems», «Comparative Family Law», «Criminal Law of Foreign States », «Civil Law», «Family Law».

Interethnic marriage has become an increasingly common social phenomenon within Indonesia's multicultural society. Differences in cultural backgrounds in such marriages encourage a process of acculturation between spouses of different ethnicities. This study aims to explore the cultural acculturation process in interethnic marriages between Acehnese and Javanese couples in Nagan Raya Regency. A descriptive qualitative method was used, with data collected through in-depth interviews and observation. The subjects of this research were two married couples who have been together for more than two years. The findings reveal that cultural acculturation occurs through various forms of adjustment, such as in daily language, food preferences, parenting styles, and the implementation of family traditions. Cultural differences can be overcome through good communication, mutual respect, and openness between partners. The couples were able to integrate cultural elements from both sides, resulting in a harmonious household. This study suggests that both the community and the government should provide educational opportunities and cross-cultural interaction spaces to support the development of tolerance and strengthen social integration within interethnic marriages.

Sexuality and Interethnic Marriage: Fieldwork Insights from the Fergana Valley

This study examines the role of school‐based environmental factors in shaping interethnic dating patterns among adolescents in the Netherlands. Given that adolescence is a formative period for social behavior, early interethnic dating experiences may foster openness to interethnic marriage later in life. This article focuses on how general peer approval of the outgroup and descriptive norms (i.e., the prevalence of interethnic relationships) influences adolescents’ partner choices. Using longitudinal data from the Dutch part of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries (CILS4EU), we test whether these factors affect the likelihood of interethnic dating. Results supported the hypothesis that descriptive norms moderate interethnic dating as they strengthen the link between positive individual attitudes towards the ethnic outgroup and the likelihood of interethnic dating. Descriptive norms furthermore moderate the effect of personal preferences, strengthening the relationship under supportive normative conditions. Personal preferences and parental influences also play decisive roles. Additionally, our results suggest that ethnic minorities and non‐religious adolescents are more likely to engage in interethnic dating. Future research should explore other sources of normative influence, such as (social) media and adolescent clubs, to better understand the normative underpinnings of interethnic relationships.

This study examines the roles that Sogdian women played along the Silk Road by analyzing their participation in religious activities, their influence in commercial activities, and their authority within the family. Compared to other societies on the Eurasian continent at that time, Sogdian women held a unique social position. They presided over religious ceremonies that integrated Zoroastrianism and Buddhism, operated trading enterprises across Central Asia, and had legal agency in marriage agreements, thereby influencing family dynamics. Contract evidence indicates that they achieved economic autonomy through property ownership and commercial agreements. As cultural mediators, their inter-ethnic marriages facilitated the exchange of art and technology between different regions. Despite enjoying these freedoms, their behaviors were still constrained by patriarchal norms. Through interdisciplinary analysis of contracts, art, and letters, this study emphasizes their contributions to the multiculturalism along the Silk Road and re-examines the gender dynamics of pre-modern Eurasia.