Educational Inequalities in Conjugal Trajectories: A Life Course Analysis Using Ggs Data from Uruguay

Mariana Fernández-Soto , Programa de Población-Universidad de la República
Gabriela Pedetti, Programa de Población-Universidad de la República

Uruguay constitutes a distinctive demographic case within Latin America, characterized since the mid-1980s by low marriage rates, widespread cohabitation, and high union instability. This study examines how educational attainment shapes union formation and dissolution among men and women in Uruguay, using nationally representative retrospective data from the 2022 Generations and Gender Survey. Adopting a life-course perspective, we analyze conjugal trajectories among individuals aged 15 to 45, focusing on generational differences and social inequalities. Findings reveal pronounced educational and gender disparities. Women with lower education tend to enter unions earlier and experience higher instability, while more educated individuals—especially men—delay and stabilize their relationships. Although educational gaps in union formation persist, differences in dissolution timing are less marked, suggesting a complex interplay between social stratification and relationship stability. We identified six clusters as a parsimonious and meaningful typology, capturing the coexistence of early and late marriage, the expansion of cohabitation, and persistent non-union paths, with varying levels of stability and re-partnering. Multivariate analyses highlight a cohort shift toward non-traditional unions: lower-educated individuals are concentrated in stable cohabitation, whereas higher-educated ones increasingly follow late marriage trajectories. These patterns indicate widening educational divides and enduring gendered differences in partnership behavior. By situating Uruguay within broader debates on family change in the Global South, this research underscores how structural inequalities and demographic dynamics intersect. It contributes to a more nuanced understanding of conjugal life courses in Latin America and the stratified nature of contemporary partnership trajectories.

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 Presented in Session 57. Flash Session Assortive Mating, Education and Social Class