Luminiţa Dumănescu

Being a Child in a Mixed Family in Nowadays Transylvania

Luminiţa Dumănescu

Article information

Abstract

Mixed marriage is an image, on a small scale, of the multiethnic, multilinguistic and multicultural society of Transylvania. Previous studies have attempted to explain the mechanisms through which (ethnic or denominational) intermarriage occurs or issues related to language, religion and identity concerning these couples. The present study tackles the ways in which mixed couples from Transylvania solve problems regarding their children’s ethnic, linguistic and denominational affiliation. If in the case of intermarriage the fear of an identity related fading opens up the path to intrusions from the part of the extended family, of the community and of the church, in relation to the choices made by parents regarding their children these interferences are limited and the partners alone decide their children’s future. This research thus details three elements that we have deemed determinant for what we have labelled “the issue of children born into intermarriages”: language, religion and ethnic identification. The study is based upon the qualitative research unfolded within the project Interethnic marriages: between an exercise of tolerance and a modern expression of indifference.

Keywords: mixed marriages, Transylvania, family upbringing, children, language, school, identity

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