For Economic Advantage or Something Else? A Case for Racial Identification Switching

Authors

Salvador Contreras, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2016

Abstract

The identity choices people take on serve as a filter for viewing the world. It is believed that race identity formation is in part a response to economic and social incentives. Using NELS 1988 dataset we evaluate at the individual level factors that affect changes in self-reported racial identity. We find that being multiracial, living in a non-affirmative action ban state, and relative income/education measures within race groups have an effect on racial identity switching. We find strong evidence that the social-political environments surrounding an affirmative action ban alters the likelihood that an individual will change race. Our results suggest that social factors when present dominate economic incentives to take on a different racial identity.

Comments

https://rdcu.be/eHC9w

Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016

Recommended Citation

Contreras, S., 2016. For economic advantage or something Else? A case for racial identification switching. The Review of Black Political Economy, 43(3-4), pp.301-323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12114-016-9238-5

Publication Title

The Review of Black Political Economy

DOI

10.1007/s12114-016-9238-5