Union formation and partner choice of the second generation of Turkish origin in Europe : The influence of third parties and institutional context

Second generation young adults born in Europe to migrant parents represent a growing share of European populations. Consequently, many important societal questions and future population trends relate to their behavior in the family domain. However, not much is known about the mechanisms that influence their behavior. This PhD dissertation focuses on the union formation and partner choice of second-generation Turks, who belong to the largest migrant group in Europe. To gain mew insights into their union formation patterns, the four empirical chapters of this study answer the following questions: A. What union formation patterns are observed among the Turkish second generation? How do these patterns differ from those of other ethnic groups? How do these patterns differ between second-generation Turks in different European countries? B. How can we explain the union formation patterns of the Turkish second generation? In particular, what is the role of third parties and the institutional context? With the newly available "The integration of the European Second Generation"(TIES) data, second-generation Turks in 13 cities in 7 countries, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland are compared.