The dissertation explores recent trends in educational assortative mating in Western countries. In particular, the rise of hypogamy is analyzed, focusing on its causes and consequences. The dissertation aims at providing new evidence on issues concerning the rise of hypogamy at the individual level. As for its causes, changes in the partner market composition are analyzed in a life course perspective as a possible driver of hypogamy, underlining the dynamic nature of its role during the partner search. Moreover, elements from the social psychology field such as the activation of behaviors to find a partner are analyzed. Finally, the dissertation studies how partner choice shapes processes of social reproduction, and in particular educational reproduction. A penalty for hypogamy is found among higher educated women, but it does not persist across generations. The dissertation provides two main contributions to the literature. First, it provides evidence of the relevance of adopting a life-course approach when looking at dynamics of union formation, and in particular hypogamy. Second, it provides evidence of the importance of partner choice for social reproduction processes, especially among women.

This study examines changing gender roles and women&amp / #8217 / s status under the light of t&ouml / re/yasa and shar&amp / #299 / &amp / #8216 / a among the Inner Asian Turkic and Mongolian societies and Ottomans in Anatolia especially between the thirteenth and the first half of the sixteenth centuries. In this frame, this study traces gender roles and women&amp / #8217 / s status in Inner Asia before the influence of Islamic culture and civilizations by using oral and written sources as well as anthropological studies. It also focuses on the formation of t&ouml / re and yasa among Inner Asian societies and shar&amp / #299 / &amp / #8216 / a in the Muslim world. Finally, this study investigates gender roles and women&amp / #8217 / s status in relation with customary (yasa/t&ouml / re and &ouml / rf-i sultani) and religious laws (shar&amp / #299 / &amp / #8216 / a ) among the Mongol Ilkhans, Timurids and Ottomans. Gender roles and women&amp / #8217 / s status are examined according to political, social and cultural characteristics of these dynasties from a comparative perspective.