The Whitening Hypothesis Challenged: Biculturalism in Latino and Non-Hispanic White Intermarriage

Abstract

Assimilation theory holds that intermarriage between minorities and non-Hispanic whites is a gauge of integration and assumes that minorities jettison their ethnic identification in favor of whiteness. Drawing on race relations theory to argue that intermarriage is potentially transformative for non-Hispanic whites as well as Latinos, this article challenges assimilation theory's bias that minorities (should) undergo cultural change and that non-Hispanic whites remain unmoved. This article uses in-depth interviews with Latino and non-Hispanic white married couples to assess the consequences of ethnic intermarriage from the perspectives of both partners. Interethnic partners engaged in four “ideal types” of biculturalism, running largely contrary to assimilation theory's social whitening hypothesis. Due to boundary blurring, exemplified by affiliative ethnic identity, non-Hispanic whites can migrate into Latino culture.