Volume 22 - Article 2 | Pages 29-62

Ethnic differences in transition to first marriage in Iran: The role of marriage market, women’s socio-economic status, and process of development


Date received:	07 Jul 2009
Date published:	08 Jan 2010
Word count:	8906
Keywords:	development, education, ethnicity, Iran, marriage, marriage market, women status
DOI:	10.4054/DemRes.2010.22.2

Abstract

This paper, using data from the 2000 Iran Demographic and Health Survey and a range of time-varying district-level contextual information derived from the 1986 and 1996 censuses of Iran, applies a discrete time hazard model to study ethnic differences in women’s transition to first marriage. The model specification accounts for both spatial and temporal changes in the socio-economic context of transition to marriage. We found ethnic-specific responses on women’s marriage timing to changes in the socio-economic context between the mid 1970s and 2000. Some ethnic groups appear to be more resistant to change despite sharing similar changes in their socio-economic context.

Author's Affiliation

Fatemeh Torabi - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom [Email]
Angela Baschieri - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom [Email]