Interracial Marriage in Hawaii, 1983-1994

This is the first extensive and in-depth analysis of longitudinal marriage data in Hawaii, a place known for its ethnic diversity and high intermarriage rate. The analysis examines the trends of intermarriage and probabilities of exogamy in selected ethnic groups, and explores racial relations based on these probabilities. Various theories of mate selection are reviewed, and the central theme of status homogamy is found to be strongly supported by evidence. Previous intermarriage studies were usually limited to two groups, but this book analyzes patterns of mate selection among fourteen ethnic groups. Continued intermarriage raises questions about how to measure and define race and ethnicity, and new methods are proposed to more accurately depict Hawaii's multiethnic population.