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Intergenerational Power Shift and the Rise of Non-arranged Marriages among Refugees

Author

Listed:
  • Foster, Andrew

    (Brown University)

  • Gökçe, Merve Betül

    (Bogazici University)

  • Kirdar, Murat Güray

    (Koc University)

Abstract

The experience of war and refugee status can alter intra-family dynamics and therefore have implications for family formation, including marriage. This study investigates marriage patterns among Syrian refugees in Turkey. Utilizing the nationally representative 2018 Turkey Demographic Health Survey (TDHS), we conduct a duration analysis of marriage outcomes among Syrian refugees in Turkey—tracking women throughout their residence in prewar Syria, postwar Syria, and Turkey. We find that early marriage is more prominent among refugees who were unmarried at the time of migration than those married before migration; the mean marriage age drops from 19.6 in prewar Syria to 19.1 in postwar Syria and 18.1 in Turkey. Using the TDHS and prewar Syrian surveys, we show that this finding aligns with the observed declines in household income and young women's opportunity cost of marriage. Our duration analysis also reveals a notable shift from traditional arranged marriages to more modern forms among refugees in Turkey. An intergenerational power shift may drive the shift toward non-arranged marriages. After arrival in Turkey, parental wealth and employment decline. In contrast, Syrian youth have higher age-adjusted employment rates than in prewar Syria. Moreover, for demographic groups with stronger intergenerational power shifts, non-arranged marriages increase more.

Suggested Citation

  • Foster, Andrew & Gökçe, Merve Betül & Kirdar, Murat Güray, 2023. "Intergenerational Power Shift and the Rise of Non-arranged Marriages among Refugees," IZA Discussion Papers 16348, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16348
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lena Edlund & Nils-Petter Lagerlöf, 2006. "Individual versus Parental Consent in Marriage: Implications for Intra-Household Resource Allocation and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 304-307, May.
    2. Lu, Frances & Siddiqui, Sameem & Bharadwaj, Prashant, 2021. "Marriage outcomes of displaced women," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    3. Johannes Hoogeveen & Bas van der Klaauw & Gijsbert van Lomwel, 2011. "On the Timing of Marriage, Cattle, and Shocks," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 60(1), pages 121-154.
    4. Corno, Lucia & Voena, Alessandra, 2023. "Child marriage as informal insurance: Empirical evidence and policy simulations," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
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    Cited by:

    1. Gökçe, Merve Betül & Kırdar, Murat Güray, 2025. "The effects of civil war and forced migration on intimate partner violence among Syrian refugee women in Jordan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    2. Caroline Krafft & Diana Jimena Arango & Amalia Hadas Rubin & Jocelyn Kelly, 2024. "Conflict and Girl Child Marriage: Global Evidence," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(4), pages 1-26, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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