Thematic Focus
Racism is still mostly studied without explicit references to discrimination and many contributions continue to conceive it as a specific expression of prejudice. While the most blatant forms of racism are barely tolerated in contemporary societies, more subtle and systemic forms of racism continue, as shown by studies on ethnic and racial discrimination and inequalities. In the last twenty years, research on discrimination against immigrants and their descendants has grown significantly, paralleling both the settlement of immigrant populations and the coming of age of their children. Studies document differential treatment and discrimination in different markets (e.g. labour market, housing) and social spheres regulated by principles of equality (e.g. school, health service, police). Patterns of discrimination are embedded in institutional contexts and a larger societal environment, characterized not only by economic uncertainties and increasing political polarization in the public debate around immigrant-related issues, but also by increasing ethnic and cultural diversity and opportunities for interethnic contact. Such changes in the context are likely to affect attitudes and ideology diffusion in majority and minority members.
This panel will bring together researchers on discrimination, racism, and inequalities, tackling these issues from various disciplines, theoretical backgrounds and methods. We welcome empirical studies of discrimination patterns across a large variety of domains (considered separately or in relation to each other), theoretical perspectives on how the prevalence of ethnic discrimination and racism should be explained and conceptualized, and quantitative or qualitative analyses of the repertoire of people’s reactions to discrimination experiences. We are particularly interested in papers that examine temporal aspects of racism and discrimination, including their framing and expressions, forms of resistance and coping strategies, and studies on the (lack of) impact of anti-discrimination policies and legislation on perceived discrimination and on various forms of prejudicial attitudes and anti- immigrant sentiments. We also welcome papers which use and discuss theories about cross-country differences, ethno-racial hierarchies, and the cumulation of risks and disadvantage over time and across domains or generations.
Submission Information
Submit your abstract specifying the research question, data, methods and findings (200 words maximum) at https://neuchatel.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oHJ0DbZQyJByzI no
later than 1 December 2021. For further information get in touch with Didier Ruedin (