Marco Breschi
Matteo Manfredini
Stanislao Mazzoni

http://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol22/33/

doi:10.4054/DemRes.2010.22.33

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Abstract

This paper makes use of data collected from military registers and marriage certificates for the population of Alghero, in Sardinia, for the period 1866-1925, with the aim of investigating the role played by physical characteristics and health in the possibility of social mobility through marriage.
Our findings demonstrate that, whereas physical defects and ill health had little impact on the chances of marrying an illiterate woman, these factors did have a negative effect on the chances of marrying a woman who was literate. In a context in which intergenerational social mobility remained limited and the family had the final say on marriage arrangements, it is likely that only healthy individuals were selected for marriages regarded as strategic for the purposes of forming and strengthening family alliances, and/or improving the social position within the community.

Author's affiliation
Marco Breschi
University of Sassari, Italy
Matteo Manfredini
University of Parma, Italy
Stanislao Mazzoni
University of Sassari, Italy

Keywords
health, marriage, Sardinia, social mobility

Word count (Main text)
4828

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