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Do Oppositional Identities Reduce Employment for Ethnic Minorities?

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Author Info
Battu, Harminder
Mwale, MacDonald
Zenou, Yves

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Abstract

We develop a model in which non-white individuals are defined with respect to their social environment (family, friends, neighbors) and their attachments to their culture of origin (religion, language), and in which jobs are mainly found through social networks. We find that, depending on how strongly they are linked to their culture of origin, non-whites choose to adopt ‘oppositional’ identities, since some individuals may identify with the dominant culture (status seekers) and others may reject that culture (conformists), even if it implies adverse labour market outcomes. We then test this model using a unique data-set that contains extensive information on various issues surrounding ethnic identity and preferences in Britain. We examine the two main issues of the theoretical model. First, what factors might lead some to adopt or possess such an oppositional identity? Second, what are the consequences for employment and is there an employment penalty for those who possess an oppositional identity? We find that indeed the social environment of individuals has a strong influence on their identity choice. We also find that those non-whites who have preferences that accord with being a conformist do experience an employment penalty.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 3819.

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Date of creation: Mar 2003
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:3819

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Related research
Keywords: ethnic minorities; social networks; white's norm;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities and Races; Non-labor Discrimination

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:

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Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Smith, Tony E & Zenou, Yves, 2003. "Spatial Mismatch, Search Effort and Urban Spatial Structure," CEPR Discussion Papers 3731, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. Nekby, Lena & Rödin, Magnus, 2007. "Acculturation Identity and Labor Market Outcomes," SULCIS Working Papers 2007:4, Stockholm University Linnaeus Center for Integration Studies - SULCIS. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Battu, Harminder & Seaman, Paul T & Zenou, Yves, 2005. "Job Contact Networks and the Ethnic Minorities," CEPR Discussion Papers 5225, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Martin Kahanec & Mariapia Mendola, 2007. "Social Determinants of Labor Market Status of Ethnic Minorities in Britain," IZA Discussion Papers 3146, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  5. Selod, Harris & Zenou, Yves, 2004. "City Structure, Job Search, and Labor Discrimination. Theory and Policy Implications," Working Paper Series 620, Research Institute of Industrial Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Delia Furtado, 2006. "Human Capital and Interethnic Marriage Decisions," IZA Discussion Papers 1989, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Antecol, Heather & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A., 2004. "Identity and Racial Harassment," IZA Discussion Papers 1149, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Kenneth Clark & Stephen Drinkwater, 2005. "Dynamics and Diversity: Ethnic Employment Differences in England and Wales, 1991-2001," IZA Discussion Papers 1698, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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