Ethnic diversity and political participation: The role of individual income

Arbeitspapier

We exploit a unique dataset merging data on individual socio-economic characteristics and political participation in an Italian municipality to investigate the relationship between ethnic diversity in residential neighborhoods and individuals' propensity to vote. We document a sizable negative impact of diversity on overall electoral turnout which reflects differential effects at the individual level, depending on household equivalent income. Specifically, we show that ethnic heterogeneity in the neighborhood reduces the political participation of the poor, while it fosters that of the more affluent. These results highlight a potential democratic deficit stemming from reduced and unequal electoral turnout in increasingly ethnically heterogeneous neighborhoods.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Quaderni - Working Paper DSE ; No. 1114

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
• Subject: Ethnic heterogeneity ; Electoral turnout ; Income

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Bellettini, Giorgio ; Berti Ceroni, Carlotta ; Monfardini, Chiara
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche (DSE)
• (where): Bologna
• (when): 2017

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.6092/unibo/amsacta/5736
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/177768
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET