Ethnic Cues and Conflict-Triggered Harassment : Evidence from Soccer Fields

The literature on in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination in political and economic contexts is extensive. However, we know little about how these biases manifest in everyday contact, where routines of civility may coexist with latent ethnic tensions, particularly in conflict-affected settings. Using data from the Turkish Third Soccer League during a period of ethnic insurgency (1990-2019), we examine whether local exposure to conflict, measured by funeral ceremonies for fallen Turkish security personnel, increases ethnic harassment. Soccer games offer a unique context in which groups interact under strong norms of friendly contact and non-discrimination, while funerals serve as localized, random shocks that heighten ethnic salience. Our findings show that Turkish teams exhibit increased harassment toward Kurdish opponents in the immediate aftermath of local conflict events. Additionally, Turkish referees are more likely to overlook this aggression. Moreover, the incidence of conflict-triggered harassment increases substantially in venues where voters express stronger nationalist sentiments.