Transnational and Homogamous Couples in Italy: Gender Heterogeneities and Mate Selection Patterns

The transnational couples growth notably in Italy during the recent past. The paper aims at analysing the patterns of mate selection of such unions in comparison with homogamous ones. Using the 2012 Birth and Mothers Sample Survey data, we analyse the elements of gender heterogeneity between the partners in order to verify if and to what extent the exchange theory fit to the Italian context. We consider in particular the following aspects: pre-union birth, age and occupational differences. According to the exchange theory, a type of “bargaining” occurs in couple formation between foreign and Italian partners; however different aspects emerge in the Italian context with respect to those of the “classical” hypotheses.