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Political Tolerance, Racist Speech, and the Influence of Social Networks

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  • Allison Harell

Abstract

Objective. This study examines the influence of ethnic and racial network diversity on young people's attitudes about speech rights in Canada by examining the impact of diversity on racist groups' speech compared to other objectionable speech. Methods. After reviewing prior work on diversity and political tolerance judgments, the study presents multinomial logistic regressions to assess the impact of network diversity on three types of political tolerance dispositions. The data are drawn from the Canadian Youth Study, a sample of 10th‐ and 11th‐grade students in Quebec and Ontario (N=3,334). Results. The analysis suggests that exposure to racial and ethnic diversity in one's social networks decreases political tolerance of racist speech while simultaneously having a positive effect on political tolerance of other types of objectionable speech. Conclusions. The dual effects arguably represent an evolving norm of multicultural political tolerance, in which citizens endorse legal limits on racist speech. Future work should assess the extent to which target group distinctions in political tolerance judgments have evolved over time and across age cohorts.

Suggested Citation

  • Allison Harell, 2010. "Political Tolerance, Racist Speech, and the Influence of Social Networks," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(3), pages 724-740, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:91:y:2010:i:3:p:724-740
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2010.00716.x
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    1. Mutz, Diana C., 2002. "Cross-cutting Social Networks: Testing Democratic Theory in Practice," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 96(1), pages 111-126, March.
    2. Sullivan, John L. & Piereson, James & Marcus, George E., 1979. "An Alternative Conceptualization of Political Tolerance: Illusory Increases 1950s–1970s," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 73(3), pages 781-794, September.
    3. Gross, Kimberly A. & Kinder, Donald R., 1998. "A Collision of Principles? Free Expression, Racial Equality and the Prohibition of Racist Speech," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(3), pages 445-471, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Shanto Iyengar, 2013. "Racial Cues and Attitudes toward Redistribution: A Comparative Experimental Approach," EUI-RSCAS Working Papers 59, European University Institute (EUI), Robert Schuman Centre of Advanced Studies (RSCAS).
    2. Francis Lee, 2014. "“Tolerated One Way but Not the Other”: Levels and Determinants of Social and Political Tolerance in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 118(2), pages 711-727, September.

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