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Why Are Immigrants Underrepresented in Politics? Evidence from Sweden

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  • DANCYGIER, RAFAELA M.
  • LINDGREN, KARL-OSKAR
  • OSKARSSON, SVEN
  • VERNBY, KÅRE

Abstract

Widespread and persistent political underrepresentation of immigrant-origin minorities poses deep challenges to democratic practice and norms. What accounts for this underrepresentation? Two types of competing explanations are prevalent in the literature: accounts that base minority underrepresentation on individual-level resources and accounts that emphasize political opportunity structures. However, due to the lack of data suitable for testing these explanations, existing research has not been able to adjudicate between these theories. Using registry-based microdata covering the entire Swedish adult population between 1991 and 2010 our study is the first to empirically evaluate these alternative explanations. We examine election outcomes to municipal councils over the course of six elections and find that variation in individual-level resources cannot explain immigrants’ underrepresentation. Further, when comparing immigrants and natives who face comparable political opportunity structures a large representation gap remains. Instead, we argue that discrimination by party gatekeepers plays a more significant role in perpetuating the underrepresentation of immigrants than do individual resources or structural variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Dancygier, Rafaela M. & Lindgren, Karl-Oskar & Oskarsson, Sven & Vernby, Kåre, 2015. "Why Are Immigrants Underrepresented in Politics? Evidence from Sweden," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 109(4), pages 703-724, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:109:y:2015:i:04:p:703-724_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Lindgren, Karl-Oskar & Oskarsson, Sven & Persson, Mikael, 2019. "Access to education and political candidacy: Lessons from school openings in Sweden," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 138-148.
    2. Bernt Bratsberg & Giovanni Facchini & Tommaso Frattini & Anna Cecilia Rosso, 2023. "Are political and economic integration intertwined?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(360), pages 1265-1306, October.
    3. Daniela Vintila & Santiago Pérez-Nievas & Marta Paradés & Carles Pamies, 2024. "Diversity in Spanish Politics? Dynamics of Descriptive Representation of Immigrant‐Origin Minorities in Local Elections," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 12.
    4. Gil S. Epstein & Odelia Heizler, 2018. "Minorities and Political Success," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(1), pages 657-671.
    5. Engdahl, Mattias & Lindgren, Karl-Oskar & Rosenqvist, Olof, 2018. "The role of local voting rights for foreign citizens – a catalyst for integration?," Working Paper Series 2018:3, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    6. Lindgren, Karl-Oskar & Oskarsson, Sven & Persson, Mikael, 2016. "How does access to education influence political candidacy? Lessons from school openings in Sweden," Working Paper Series 2016:7, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.

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