Working Together? Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace and Generalized Social Trust

Peter Thisted Dinesen; Kim Mannemar Sønderskov; Frederik Thuesen

Working Together? Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace and Generalized Social Trust

Peter Thisted Dinesen, Kim Mannemar Sønderskov, Frederik Thuesen

Abstract

Several influential studies show that living in more ethnically diverse settings erodes generalized social trust among the native-born population. Yet, critics argue that this is a biased portrayal of the consequences of ethnic diversity for trust because co-habitation only entails superficial, stereotype-confirming exposure to other ethnic groups rather than meaningful contact with them. Conversely, interethnic contact can in fact build up, rather than erode, generalized social trust, according to this perspective. However, putting the “contact argument” to a convincing empirical test has been complicated by several methodological challenges. In this paper, we provide a rigorous test of this argument by studying a contact-prone context—the workplace—using registrylinked survey data from Denmark. Despite setting the scene for the contact argument, our empirical analyses consistently show a negative effect of ethnic diversity in the workplace on social trust. This result holds in a series of analyses, including in panel data models. Our results thus provide little support for the contact argument, and instead vindicate theories highlighting the negative consequences of ethnic diversity for trust.

Original language	English
Publication date	2019
Number of pages	61
Publication status	Submitted - 2019
Event	Immigration: Research Frontiers & Policy Challenges - Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States Duration: 4 Oct 2019 → 5 Oct 2019 https://web.sas.upenn.edu/pic-lab/2019-conference-on-immigration/

Conference

Conference	Immigration: Research Frontiers & Policy Challenges
Location	Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania
Country/Territory	United States
City	Philadelphia
Period	04/10/2019 → 05/10/2019
Internet address	https://web.sas.upenn.edu/pic-lab/2019-conference-on-immigration/

Cite this

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title = "Working Together? Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace and Generalized Social Trust",

abstract = "Several influential studies show that living in more ethnically diverse settings erodes generalized social trust among the native-born population. Yet, critics argue that this is a biased portrayal of the consequences of ethnic diversity for trust because co-habitation only entails superficial, stereotype-confirming exposure to other ethnic groups rather than meaningful contact with them. Conversely, interethnic contact can in fact build up, rather than erode, generalized social trust, according to this perspective. However, putting the “contact argument” to a convincing empirical test has been complicated by several methodological challenges. In this paper, we provide a rigorous test of this argument by studying a contact-prone context—the workplace—using registrylinked survey data from Denmark. Despite setting the scene for the contact argument, our empirical analyses consistently show a negative effect of ethnic diversity in the workplace on social trust. This result holds in a series of analyses, including in panel data models. Our results thus provide little support for the contact argument, and instead vindicate theories highlighting the negative consequences of ethnic diversity for trust.",

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year = "2019",

language = "English",

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note = "Immigration: Research Frontiers & Policy Challenges ; Conference date: 04-10-2019 Through 05-10-2019",

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T1 - Working Together? Ethnic Diversity in the Workplace and Generalized Social Trust

AU - Dinesen, Peter Thisted

AU - Sønderskov, Kim Mannemar

AU - Thuesen, Frederik

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Several influential studies show that living in more ethnically diverse settings erodes generalized social trust among the native-born population. Yet, critics argue that this is a biased portrayal of the consequences of ethnic diversity for trust because co-habitation only entails superficial, stereotype-confirming exposure to other ethnic groups rather than meaningful contact with them. Conversely, interethnic contact can in fact build up, rather than erode, generalized social trust, according to this perspective. However, putting the “contact argument” to a convincing empirical test has been complicated by several methodological challenges. In this paper, we provide a rigorous test of this argument by studying a contact-prone context—the workplace—using registrylinked survey data from Denmark. Despite setting the scene for the contact argument, our empirical analyses consistently show a negative effect of ethnic diversity in the workplace on social trust. This result holds in a series of analyses, including in panel data models. Our results thus provide little support for the contact argument, and instead vindicate theories highlighting the negative consequences of ethnic diversity for trust.

AB - Several influential studies show that living in more ethnically diverse settings erodes generalized social trust among the native-born population. Yet, critics argue that this is a biased portrayal of the consequences of ethnic diversity for trust because co-habitation only entails superficial, stereotype-confirming exposure to other ethnic groups rather than meaningful contact with them. Conversely, interethnic contact can in fact build up, rather than erode, generalized social trust, according to this perspective. However, putting the “contact argument” to a convincing empirical test has been complicated by several methodological challenges. In this paper, we provide a rigorous test of this argument by studying a contact-prone context—the workplace—using registrylinked survey data from Denmark. Despite setting the scene for the contact argument, our empirical analyses consistently show a negative effect of ethnic diversity in the workplace on social trust. This result holds in a series of analyses, including in panel data models. Our results thus provide little support for the contact argument, and instead vindicate theories highlighting the negative consequences of ethnic diversity for trust.

M3 - Paper

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EP - 61

T2 - Immigration: Research Frontiers & Policy Challenges

Y2 - 4 October 2019 through 5 October 2019

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