Intra-Ethnic Marriages in the Border Regions of Huraman-Lehun

Introduction
Intra-ethnic marriage within the framework of contemporary social and cultural transformations can be defined as a type of marital bond formed between two individuals belonging to the same ethnic group, tribe, or shared cultural-racial group. This form of spouse selection is usually driven by motives such as preserving collective identity, maintaining cultural cohesion, continuing traditions and inherited rituals, and strengthening intra-group kinship networks. The "Horaman-Lehon" region, as the empirical field of this research, is a notable example of border social spaces where political boundaries have not been able to completely rupture deep social and cultural continuities. This region - part of which lies in Kermanshah Province in Iran and the other part in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq - has preserved a shared lifeworld among its inhabitants. As a result, ethnic, linguistic, religious, and historical commonalities have provided a foundation for the continuation of social interactions and, in particular, cross-border marital ties. In this context, intra-ethnic marriages are considered not merely an individual choice, but a deeply rooted and meaningful social action, formed in close connection with the identity and historical structures of the region. Focusing on the Horaman-Lehon region and drawing on the lived experience of residents of the two villages of Hani-Garmele in Iran and Biyare in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, this research seeks to analyze the social, cultural, and structural contexts shaping intra-ethnic marriages in border regions. Furthermore, this study aims to explore the reasons for the continuity of such marriages, their individual and collective consequences, and the strategies that social actors adopt to sustain and reproduce these bonds under the specific conditions of border-dwelling.
Methodology
This study is methodologically grounded in the qualitative research tradition. Among qualitative methods, grounded theory – due to its features such as theoretical capacity, continuous and active engagement of the researcher with the research subject, and amendability – enjoy of great importance for developing theoretical frameworks to understand social problems. In this study, purposive sampling, theoretical sampling, and maximum variation sampling have been employed in a mixed manner. The main data collection tool in this study was an in-depth, face-to-face semi-structured interview, with each interview lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. For this purpose, interviews were conducted with 26 couples - those married in the form of intra-ethnic marriage - and influential figures and key informants from the villages of Hanegarmele (Iran) and Biyare (Kurdistan Region of Iraq). For data analysis, thematic analysis technique was utilized within the overall framework of grounded theory.
Findings
The results illustrate that historical conditions, cultural commonalities, and border proximity constitute the contextual conditions shaping intra-ethnic marriage on both sides of the border. Flexible survival mechanisms and economic and service opportunities have created the causal conditions for this type of marriage, while increasing cross-border mobility, the emergence of new job and educational opportunities, and modern communication technologies have served as intervening factors helping to accelerate and facilitate the process of intra-ethnic marriage. The consequence of this process has been cross-border social system-building; meaning that these marriages have led to the creation of a cross-border security and support network, a reduced perception of border limitations, increased economic exchanges, and mediation during politically sensitive times. Through strategies such as continuously strengthening the moral economy of kinship and redefining marriage from a mere economic transaction into an "ethnic-supportive action," the residents ensure the continuity and strengthening of this self-built system. Border intra-ethnic marriage in Horaman-Lehon is a spontaneous and intelligent "life policy" for managing risks and exploiting opportunities on both sides of the border. Rooted in historical-cultural commonalities, this phenomenon has led to cross-border social system-building - networks of security, support, economic exchange, and mediation). By strengthening the "moral economy of kinship" and redefining marriage as an "ethnic-supportive action," residents ensure the continuity of this pattern.
Conclusion
The core category of this research "border intra-ethnic marriage as a life policy on the border" clearly demonstrates that this phenomenon, i.e., ethnic marriage on the border, is a strategic, flexible, rational, and forward-looking response to the difficult and specific conditions of living in a border region fraught with instability and tension. This spontaneous social policy, while rooted in shared tradition and culture, is also fully adapted to and has evolved with the political, economic, and technological developments of recent decades, and it often represents a collective strategy for preserving identity, security, and resources under conditions of border uncertainty.