A Constructivist Perspective on Empirical Discrimination Research
Journal of Economic Literature
vol. 61,
no. 3, September 2023
(pp. 906-23)
Abstract
Contemporary scholars view race as a constructed social category, not a biological fact. Yet most empirical discrimination research treats race no differently than other individual characteristics typically observed in data. This article considers the implications of adopting a constructivist perspective instead. I develop a simple model where agents use observable characteristics to both interpret membership in racial social categories and make decisions. Discrimination is the result of acting based on perceived social identity. The model highlights the need to measure the racial "first stage"—the social identity contrast between individuals—instead of relying on race as coded in data, and draws a novel distinction between race-based and direct statistical discrimination. I illustrate some implications using data on wages, speech patterns, and skin color and conclude with strategies for future research that build on the constructivist model.Citation
Rose, Evan K. 2023. "A Constructivist Perspective on Empirical Discrimination Research." Journal of Economic Literature, 61 (3): 906-23. DOI: 10.1257/jel.20221705Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J31 Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
- J71 Labor Discrimination
- K38 Human Rights Law; Gender Law; Animal Rights Law