Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP5662
Authors: Alberto Bisin; Eleonora Patacchini; Thierry Verdier; Yves Zenou
Abstract: We first develop a model of identity formation resulting from the interaction of cultural transmission and socialization inside the family, peer effects and social interactions, and identity choice. We then put the model to data using the UK Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities. We show that the main determinants of ethnic identity include past racial harassment experiences, language spoken at home and with friends, quality of housing, and structure of the family. Most importantly, we find that, consistently with our theoretical analysis, identity and socialization to an ethnic minority are, other things equal, more intense in mixed neighbourhood than in segregated neighbourhoods. We argue that this last result has important and up-to-now unnoticed implications for integration and assimilation policies.
Keywords: cultural transmission; ethnicity; identity; intermarriage
JEL Codes: A14; J15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| ethnic composition of neighborhoods (R23) | intensity of ethnic identity (J15) |
| ethnic composition of neighborhoods (R23) | socialization efforts (P36) |
| segregated neighborhoods (R23) | intensity of ethnic identity (J15) |
| mixed neighborhoods (R23) | intensity of ethnic identity (J15) |
| higher percentage of own ethnic group in neighborhood (R23) | lower sense of identity (I31) |
| higher percentage of own ethnic group in neighborhood (R23) | lower probability of homogamy (J12) |
| Muslims (Z12) | stronger identity effects on assimilation efforts (C92) |
| neighborhood composition (R23) | identity formation (L26) |