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Do Oppositional Identities Reduce Employment for Ethnic Minorities?

Author

Listed:
  • Battu, Harminder

    (University of Aberdeen)

  • Mwale, McDonald

    (University of Aberdeen)

  • Zenou, Yves

    (Monash University)

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 found that, depending on how strong 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 labor 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 find considerable heterogeneity in the ethnic population of Britain in terms of ethnic preferences. One group, namely the African-Asians, stand out in having preferences that accord with the notion of them being status seekers. Such preferences are closely tied to a range of assimilation variables and those non-whites who have preferences that accord with being a conformist do experience an employment penalty.

Suggested Citation

  • Battu, Harminder & Mwale, McDonald & Zenou, Yves, 2003. "Do Oppositional Identities Reduce Employment for Ethnic Minorities?," IZA Discussion Papers 721, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp721
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Delia Furtado, 2012. "Human Capital And Interethnic Marriage Decisions," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 50(1), pages 82-93, January.
    2. Nekby, Lena & Rödin, Magnus, 2007. "Acculturation Identity and Labor Market Outcomes," Research Papers in Economics 2007:7, Stockholm University, Department of Economics.
    3. Battu, Harminder & Seaman, Paul & Zenou, Yves, 2011. "Job contact networks and the ethnic minorities," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 48-56, January.
    4. Martin Kahanec & Mariapia Mendola, 2009. "Social determinants of labor market status of ethnic minorities in Britain," Research in Labor Economics, in: Ethnicity and Labor Market Outcomes, pages 167-195, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    5. Antecol, Heather & Cobb-Clark, Deborah A., 2008. "Identity and racial harassment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 66(3-4), pages 529-557, June.
    6. Smith, Tony E. & Zenou, Yves, 2003. "Spatial mismatch, search effort, and urban spatial structure," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 129-156, July.
    7. Ken Clark & Stephen Drinkwater, 2009. "Dynamics and diversity: ethnic employment differences in England and Wales, 1991–2001," Research in Labor Economics, in: Ethnicity and Labor Market Outcomes, pages 299-333, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    8. Harris Selod & Yves Zenou, 2006. "City Structure, Job Search and Labour Discrimination: Theory and Policy Implications," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 116(514), pages 1057-1087, October.
    9. Pierre Kohler, 2012. "Economic Discrimination and Cultural Differences as Barriers to Migrant Integration: Is Reverse Causality Symmetric?," IHEID Working Papers 07-2012, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    10. Pierre Kohler, 2012. "Economic Discrimination and Cultural Differences as Barriers to Migrant Integration: Is Reverse Causality Symmetric?," IHEID Working Papers 07-2012, Economics Section, The Graduate Institute of International Studies.
    11. Clark, Ken & Drinkwater, Stephen, 2007. "Segregation preferences and labour market outcomes," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 278-283, February.
    12. Nekby, Lena & Rödin, Magnus, 2010. "Acculturation identity and employment among second and middle generation immigrants," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 35-50, February.
    13. Kohler, Pierre, 2012. "Three essays on the economic and cultural integration of migrants in Switzerland: putting into perspective the influence of economic discrimination and of host society culture," MPRA Paper 38129, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ethnic minorities; white’s norm; social networks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination

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