2007•The Blackwell Encyclopedia of SociologyRequires access
Endogamy
Nazli Kibria
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Abstract
“Endogamy” refers to in‐group marriage, or a pattern of marriage in which the partners have a shared group affiliation. Its conceptual counterpoint is exogamy, or a pattern of marriage in which the partners are different in their group affiliation. For scholars of race and ethnic relations, the significance of endogamy stems from its relationship to group boundaries and the processes by which they are maintained, transgressed, and negotiated. Indeed, endogamy is generally understood to be among the most important social mechanisms in the formation and re‐formation of racial and ethnic groups.