About this Research Topic
Ethnic or racial discrimination refers to the unequal and adverse treatment of people because of their ethnic or racial origin (including religious or cultural background). There is already much research which examines levels and patterns of discrimination on housing and labour markets, in education and in healthcare. This research tradition usually applies field experimental techniques such as correspondence and audit tests, which are considered the golden instrument to measure discriminatory behavior. Recently, other (lab) studies measured different aspects of biased behavior, such as eye-tracking and physical distancing. Lastly, another research stream focuses on discrimination, as perceived or experienced by ethnic minority groups.
In each research tradition, less is known, however, about what drives and moderates discriminatory behavior. What are the underlying mechanisms or causes of discrimination? Why do people discriminate? And what are the moderating factors that can mitigate or exacerbate discrimination at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels? We are looking for studies that shed light on these questions. Welcomed especially, are contributions which examine the relationship between discrimination and other explanatory factors, for example, its relationship with other explicit or implicit attitudes, personality traits, contextual factors, the history of colonialism and slavery, political or economic events, and political or media discourse. The underlying idea is the observation that different drivers and moderators of discrimination have been investigated by means of various theoretical models in different disciplines, in isolation from each other.
In addition, there is also little research that compares levels and patterns of discrimination across settings (including digital platforms and emerging markets) and combines insights from different disciplines. To obtain general explanatory models of discrimination, we are looking for studies that theoretically and/or empirically compare ethnic and racial discrimination across domains, such as housing, labour, and education.
This Research Topic welcomes papers that focus on:
• underlying mechanisms or causes of ethnic and racial discrimination;
• perceptions of ethnic and racial discrimination;
• moderating factors of discrimination at the micro-, meso- or macro-levels;
• the impact of events, economic cycles, political discourse, legislation and policy changes on levels of discrimination;
• comparisons of levels and patterns of ethnic and racial discrimination across settings or over time;
• the theoretical integration of different research traditions with a focus on explaining discrimination.
We encourage scholars to apply an intersectional approach to their papers, which examines ethnic or racial discrimination, together with other forms of exclusion (e.g. discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics).
Please note that abstract submission is not mandatory and you are welcome to submit a manuscript to the Research Topic without having submitted an abstract.
In each research tradition, less is known, however, about what drives and moderates discriminatory behavior. What are the underlying mechanisms or causes of discrimination? Why do people discriminate? And what are the moderating factors that can mitigate or exacerbate discrimination at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels? We are looking for studies that shed light on these questions. Welcomed especially, are contributions which examine the relationship between discrimination and other explanatory factors, for example, its relationship with other explicit or implicit attitudes, personality traits, contextual factors, the history of colonialism and slavery, political or economic events, and political or media discourse. The underlying idea is the observation that different drivers and moderators of discrimination have been investigated by means of various theoretical models in different disciplines, in isolation from each other.
In addition, there is also little research that compares levels and patterns of discrimination across settings (including digital platforms and emerging markets) and combines insights from different disciplines. To obtain general explanatory models of discrimination, we are looking for studies that theoretically and/or empirically compare ethnic and racial discrimination across domains, such as housing, labour, and education.
This Research Topic welcomes papers that focus on:
• underlying mechanisms or causes of ethnic and racial discrimination;
• perceptions of ethnic and racial discrimination;
• moderating factors of discrimination at the micro-, meso- or macro-levels;
• the impact of events, economic cycles, political discourse, legislation and policy changes on levels of discrimination;
• comparisons of levels and patterns of ethnic and racial discrimination across settings or over time;
• the theoretical integration of different research traditions with a focus on explaining discrimination.
We encourage scholars to apply an intersectional approach to their papers, which examines ethnic or racial discrimination, together with other forms of exclusion (e.g. discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation or other characteristics).
Please note that abstract submission is not mandatory and you are welcome to submit a manuscript to the Research Topic without having submitted an abstract.
Keywords: discrimination, prejudices, racism, correspondence tests, attitudes, time trends, comparative sociology
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
