Data from the 2001 census suggest that rates of single parenthood and divorce among British Asian populations are on the rise, but the statistics do not offer insights into the underlying dynamics. This project aims to produce new empirical data on the causes, processes and consequences of marital instability and divorce among two major British Asian populations: Pakistani Muslims and Punjabi Sikhs. Whilst a large proportion of both groups marry partners from overseas, they differ in marriage patterns and religion. The project will explore whether such differences shape patterns of marital instability, or whether cross-cutting factors such as class, gender dynamics and life stage are more significant. The Principal Investigator will conduct repeated interviews with Pakistani Muslim and Punjabi Sikh couples who have experienced divorce within the last three years. Intended outputs will help inform questions concerning legal pluralism and diversity in social welfare, reorient debates about conservatism and transnational marriage in British Asian families, and engage with theory concerning the family. Ethical approval has been granted by the Central University Research Ethics Committee of Oxford University.

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