Cultural Assimilation of Foreign Marriages

With the advent of online dating and matchmaking services, foreign marriages have never been more accessible. These services have widened the horizon for single men and women who wish to find life long partners, being able to connect with other single individuals around the world.

The challenge of marrying someone from a different country is the varying cultures and traditions. These differences pose tasking issues of adjusting in order to accommodate one another’s cultures and adapt to the social norms of a foreign society.

There are two opposing sides to the argument of adjusting to a foreign culture. The first is Cultural Assimilation, and the second is Biculturalism.

Intercultural Marriages

The internet has opened more doors not just for international dating, but international marriages as well. International marriage has been around for a long time, but only recently has this been a viable trend for singles looking to marry in another country. The internet has given prospective singles the opportunity to meet foreign partners without having to visit foreign countries.

Then again, with international dating comes the challenges of adjusting with a foreign partner. The common challenges encountered in international marriages are usually citizenship, language, and culture.

With global access to English education, English has become a popular language for a linguistic compromise. A large number of the global population speak English well, and rising numbers show that English is continually being used as a mode for communication - online or in person.

Citizenship is another challenge for foreign marriages. This, however, can be easily overcome due to current regulations from different nations. Lately, citizenship has not been a big issue when it comes to setting any plan to marry. Most international marriages have permanent resident processes in place in order to accommodate the foreign spouse, which makes this one of the benefits of marrying a foreigner.

Perhaps the most difficult challenge, one that will usually have a lasting impact throughout the marriage, is cultural differences. Cultures vary greatly across nations, and it is very evident around the Eastern and Western corners of the globe. Cultural adaptation is a constant challenge, even years into an international marriage.

Cultural Assimilation

The characteristics of cultural assimilation are essentially conforming to another culture. This means that you take a cultural identity and set of social norms of a foreign culture over your own. You will adapt to the behaviour, values, and beliefs; and for some, they will even adopt the local language.

Cultural assimilation can usually be observed in individuals who move towards the location of their foreign spouse. For some, it is a gradual assimilation towards the foreign culture, while for others, it becomes a gradual change depending on the environment and social norms.

This form of cultural adaptation usually occurs when both cultures contrast with each other in very distinct ways. It is often more difficult to accommodate another culture when traditions and customs themselves are very contradictory. This is when assimilation occurs, and would usually be thought of as a need in order to fully adjust to the environment.

The argument against cultural assimilation is that it prevents cultural diversity as most of the new members of society tend to conform to the social norms. The willingness to adapt to a new culture is affected by a whole lot of factors.

For those who choose to assimilate, this is called voluntary assimilation. This means that the person voluntarily chooses to adopt or conform to the social norms. Studies show that for those who choose to assimilate, cultural adaptation is easier, and they tend to experience a lesser degree of cultural shock.

Involuntary assimilation is when an individual has no choice but to assimilate out of need. This is often called forced assimilation. This occurs when the individual’s only option to adapt to a new norm is to conform to the sociocultural norms of the foreign environment. These individuals would usually experience a greater amount of stress due to culture shock, and may even take a longer time to fully adapt.

Biculturalism

Biculturalism is the coexistence of two very distinct cultures. This means that you adapt to the sociocultural norms of the foreign environment whilst maintaining your own cultural identity. Biculturalism has been known to improve cultural diversity in a society.

According to Lucke, Kostova, and Roth (2014), there are 5 ways in which an individual adopts biculturalism -- compartmentalization, integration, convergence, inclusion, and generalization.

Compartmentalization is when an individual possesses knowledge of both customs but keeps them separate, often choosing which culture to use in specific situations.

Integration is when an individual has knowledge of both cultures and keeps them linked together cognitively.

Convergence is when the person chooses overlapping customs of each culture in order to simplify the adaptation.

Inclusion is when an individual will take elements from both cultures without complete knowledge of both.

Generalization is essentially based on the original cultures, but distinct from one another.

The process in which a person adapts would greatly vary depending on how different both cultures are. Highly distinctive cultures may have contradicting customs and will thus be harder to balance. However, studies have shown that although it takes longer to adapt and accommodate both cultures, they tend to have an easier time adopting the sociocultural norms of the newer environment, all the while keeping their cultural identity.

Cultural Assimilation vs Biculturalism?

There has been a long debate regarding sociocultural adaptations when it comes to transnational and intercultural marriages. Both cultural assimilation and biculturalism pose solid arguments over the other.

What studies have shown is that although biculturalism benefits cultural diversity in a society, it does take individuals longer to fully adapt to a new social norm. This is most evident when the two cultures contrast with each other greatly. This might also affect the timeframe to which the individual can fully adapt.

Cultural assimilation does leave behind an individual’s cultural identity. However, it takes a shorter time to adapt to the new social norms. The majority of individuals who assimilate into a culture tend to adapt better and immerse themselves more into the culture. Studies have shown that for those who choose to assimilate, they tend to engage better in their socio-cultural groups; and some tend to be a proactive member of the community. This is important when the individual is planning to become a permanent resident in a foreign community.

Collectively, culture is an important thing to consider when it comes to foreign marriages. It may be an exciting venture for those who are seeking lasting love, but one must also be able to adapt, understand, respect, and be patient with whatever differences there are - cultural or otherwise.