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Unveiling citation bias in economics: Taste-based discrimination against Chinese-authored papers

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  • Yang, Xiaoliang
  • Zhou, Peng

Abstract

We present evidence for taste-based discrimination against Chinese first authors in economic citations. We utilize a gravity model of citations and interpret the bias as a negative effect of “cultural distance”. After controlling for quality as well as author-, paper-, and journal-specific attributes, publications with a Chinese first author receive 14 % less citations. Coauthoring with non-Chinese does not mitigate the discrimination at all. While being affiliated with a US-based institute slightly reduces the bias by dampening the perceived “Chineseness”, it is not big enough to offset the discriminatory effect. Moreover, the COVID pandemic exacerbated the discriminatory effect. The forensic analysis narrowed down the source of discrimination to non-Chinese top economists from non-US affiliations.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Xiaoliang & Zhou, Peng, 2025. "Unveiling citation bias in economics: Taste-based discrimination against Chinese-authored papers," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:94:y:2025:i:c:s0927537125000491
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102725
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Ethnic Discrimination; Citation; Publication; Knowledge Diffusion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J44 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Professional Labor Markets and Occupations
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing

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