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Ethnic Diversity, Segregation and Ethnocentric Trust in Africa

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  • Robinson, Amanda Lea

Abstract

Ethnic diversity is generally associated with less social capital and lower levels of trust. However, most empirical evidence for this relationship is focused on generalized trust, rather than more theoretically appropriate measures of group-based trust. This article evaluates the relationship between ethnic diversity – at the national, regional and local levels – and the degree to which coethnics are trusted more than non-coethnics, a value referred to here as the ‘coethnic trust premium’. Using public opinion data from sixteen African countries, this study finds that citizens of ethnically diverse states express, on average, more ethnocentric trust. However, within countries, regional ethnic diversity is associated with less ethnocentric trust. This same negative pattern between diversity and ethnocentric trust appears across districts and enumeration areas within Malawi. The article then shows, consistent with these patterns, that diversity is only detrimental to intergroup trust at the national level when ethnic groups are spatially segregated. These results highlight the importance of the spatial distribution of ethnic groups on intergroup relations, and question the utility of micro-level studies of interethnic interactions for understanding macro-level group dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Robinson, Amanda Lea, 2020. "Ethnic Diversity, Segregation and Ethnocentric Trust in Africa," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1), pages 217-239, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:50:y:2020:i:1:p:217-239_10
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhu, Junbing & Grigoriadis, Theocharis N., 2022. "Chinese dialects, culture & economic performance," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Yuyang Wu & Yao Yao & Shuliang Ren & Shiyi Zhang & Qingfeng Guan, 2023. "How do urban services facilities affect social segregation among people of different economic levels? A case study of Shenzhen city," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 50(6), pages 1502-1517, July.
    3. Opoku Adabor & Enock Kojo Ayesu, 2024. "Ethnic heterogeneity and healthcare utilization: The mediating role of poverty in Ghana," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1655-1682, December.
    4. Eric Kramon & Sarah Baird & Joan Hamory & Edward Miguel, 2021. "Deepening or Diminishing Ethnic Divides? The Impact of Urban Migration in Kenya," Working Papers 2021-08, The George Washington University, Institute for International Economic Policy.
    5. Hodler, Roland & Srisuma, Sorawoot & Vesperoni, Alberto & Zurlinden, Noémie, 2020. "Measuring ethnic stratification and its effect on trust in Africa," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    6. Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay & Elliott Green, 2021. "Explaining inter‐ethnic marriage in Sub‐Saharan Africa," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(4), pages 627-643, May.
    7. Gang, Cuiui & Li, Juanwei & Hu, Haiqing & Wei, Wei, 2023. "Dynamic co-movement between economic growth and language: A new perspective of technological progress," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 705-721.
    8. Alain Kikandi Kiuma & Abdelkrim Araar & Christian Kamala Kaghoma, 2020. "Internal migration and youth entrepreneurship in the Democratic Republic of the Congo," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(3), pages 790-814, August.

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