Karolina Lendák-Kabók to Found Lendület Research Group
Launched in 2009, the Lendület (Momentum) program aims to strengthen the base of young researchers in Hungary by attracting internationally outstanding researchers and exceptional young talents either back from abroad or by keeping them in the country. The program supports both excellence and mobility and seeks to fund research groups at host institutions that promise breakthrough results.
This year, the MTA received 135 valid applications: 33 from the humanities and social sciences, 48 from the life sciences, and 54 from the mathematical and natural sciences. On June 25, 2025, the Lendület Committee decided on the excellence ranking of the research groups to be supported and on the allocation of funding. A total of 4.3 billion HUF was awarded to 21 selected research groups for the five-year program. Karolina Lendák-Kabók’s project will receive 199,997,000 HUF in funding over the five-year duration.
Karolina Lendák-Kabók’s research project focuses on mixed marriages (or interethnic marriages), which are unions formed between individuals of different social, ethnic, or religious backgrounds and often challenge prevailing social norms. In Central and Eastern Europe—a region characterized by significant emigration waves and the coexistence of numerous national minorities and majorities who often share both homeland and citizenship—mixed marriages continue to emerge. Their proliferation was facilitated by the introduction of civil marriage at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. However, wars, nation-state and kin-state policies, nation-building efforts, and religious politics have often hindered their spread.
The project analyzes and contextualizes mixed families through an interdisciplinary and intersectional lens, with particular focus on Hungary and the former Yugoslav territories—from the introduction of civil marriage in the Kingdom of Hungary in 1895 to the present day, especially concentrating on post-war periods.
On the macro level, the research examines how nation-state, kin-state, and religious policies have impacted mixed families. This analysis is based on archival sources and census data, mapping changes in state, kin-state, and religious policies. On the meso level, the project assesses and compares the societal acceptance of mixed families through analysis of reports from religious and minority communities, as well as educational institutions. On the micro level, the research explores the internal dynamics of mixed families, including gender roles, the influence of education, hybrid identities, and societal pressures through interviews and focus group discussions. Key themes include national loyalty, language choices, and cultural hybridity.
Karolina Lendák-Kabók explains the social impact of the research as follows: “Through its interdisciplinary, gender-sensitive, and intersectional approach, the project offers a nuanced typology of mixed marriages, provides research tools for studying mixed families, and formulates policy recommendations to foster trust-building and integration in multiethnic societies. By exploring the potential of mixed marriages—as a possible avenue for strengthening interethnic trust and social cohesion—the project aims to influence academic discourse, public policy, and global integration strategies.”