← Back to research

The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Attitudes on Hispanic Identity in the U.S.

Ethnicity
Bias
Discrimination

Hussain Hadah, “The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Attitudes on Hispanic Identity in the U.S.,” R&R Southern Economic Journal

Author
Affiliation

Hussain Hadah

Tulane University

Other details

Presented at the 2023 European Society for Population Economics (ESPE) conference and the 93rd Southern Economic Association Annual Meeting.

Abstract

I study the determinants of the choice to identify as Hispanic among those who could—those whose parents, grandparents, or selves were born in a Spanish-speaking country. I find that individuals with Hispanic ancestry are significantly less likely to self-identify as Hispanic if they live in states with high levels of bias. A one standard deviation increase in bias decreases self-reported Hispanic identity by 4 percentage points among all Hispanics. These effects are more prominent among second-generation immigrants with both parents born in a Spanish-speaking country than among children of inter-ethnic parents. These findings have implications for the interpretation of research on ethnic gaps in economic outcomes and the correct counting of the population.

Citation

Hadah, Hussain, The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Attitudes on Hispanic Identity in the U.S. (August 22, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4566232 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4566232

@article{hadah2023hispanicidentity,
    Author = {Hadah, Hussain},
    Title = {The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Attitudes on Hispanic Identity in the U.S.},
    Year = {2023}}