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Heat and hate: How temperature triggers discriminatory violence

Author

Listed:
  • Baggio, Michele
  • Surya Narayana, Revathy
  • Uchida, Shinsuke

Abstract

We study how environmental stressors influence discriminatory behavior by examining the relationship between temperature and hate crimes in U.S. counties. Using weekly data over more than two decades, we show that an additional day with wet bulb temperature above 30°C increases hate crimes by about 13 percent and raises the number of offenders and victims involved. These effects are concentrated in counties with higher unemployment, lower education, and greater racial diversity, indicating that heat interacts with existing social and economic variables. We also find that the estimated effects are larger for crimes motivated by race and sexual orientation than for those motivated by religion.

Suggested Citation

  • Baggio, Michele & Surya Narayana, Revathy & Uchida, Shinsuke, 2026. "Heat and hate: How temperature triggers discriminatory violence," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:261:y:2026:i:c:s0165176526000558
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2026.112861
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • K38 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Human Rights Law; Gender Law; Animal Rights Law

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