Identity, Beliefs, and Political Conflict
Open accessAbstract
We present a theory of identity politics that builds on two ideas. First, voters identify with the social group whose interests are closest to theirs and that features the strongest policy conflict with outgroups. Second, identification causes voters to slant their beliefs of self and others toward group stereotypes. The theory yields two main implications: i) voters’ beliefs are polarized along the distinctive features of salient groups; ii) economic shocks that render new groups salient bring about large and non standard changes in beliefs and policies across many issues. In particular, exposure to globalization or cultural changes may induce voters to switch identities, dampening their demand for redistribution and exacerbating conflicts in other social dimensions. We show that survey evidence is broadly consistent with these implications.
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Gennaioli and Tabellini (2019) illustrates one scenario where, as globalization accelerates, the locus of group identity switches from class conflict to nationalist versus cosmopolitan (cultural) conflict.
“Gennaioli and Tabellini (2019) illustrates one scenario where, as globalization accelerates, the locus of group identity switches from class conflict to nationalist versus cosmopolitan (cultural) conflict.”
From Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure (2020) · cites this paper as Gennaioli and Tabellini 2019
As globalization accelerates, the losers from globalization become more protectionist and reduce their demands for redistribution.
“As this occurs, the losers from globalization become more protectionist and reduce their demands for redistribution.”
From Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure (2020) · cites this paper as Gennaioli and Tabellini 2019
Adverse economic shocks can heighten cultural identity at the expense of class identity, or vice versa, with potentially unconventional effects on policy.
“Adverse economic shocks in this setting can heighten cultural identity at the expense of class identity, or vice versa, with potentially unconventional effects on policy.”
From Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure (2020) · cites this paper as Gennaioli and Tabellini 2019
Gennaioli and Tabellini (2019) studies the interplay between economic and social policy in a setting where low- and high-income voters may shift allegiances between a class-based identity or a culture-based identity.
“Extending this reasoning outside the (exclusive) realm of trade policy, Gennaioli and Tabellini (2019) studies the interplay between economic and social policy in a setting where low-and high-income voters may shift allegiances between either a class-based identity, where taxation and redistribution are salient, or a culture-based identity, where nationalist and tribal sentiments are foregrounded.”
From Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure (2020) · cites this paper as Gennaioli and Tabellini 2019
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Importing Political Polarization? The Electoral Consequences of Rising Trade Exposure
Autor, D., Dorn, D., Hanson, G., & Majlesi, K. (2020) · American Economic Review · doi:10.1257/aer.20170011 · Cited by 1,063 · see citing works
Political Effects of the Internet and Social Media
Zhuravskaya, E., Petrova, M., & Enikolopov, R. (2020) · Annual Review of Economics · doi:10.1146/annurev-economics-081919-050239 · Cited by 560 · see citing works
Identity, beliefs, and political conflict
Bonomi, G., Gennaioli, N., & Tabellini, G. (2021) · The Quarterly Journal of Economics · doi:10.1093/qje/qjab034 · Cited by 213 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Gennaioli, N., & Tabellini, G.
- Affiliations
- Bocconi University (IT)
- Ifo Institute for Economic Research (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Gennaioli, Nicola
- ORCID
- Tabellini, Guido
- Venue
- SSRN Electronic Journal
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019
- ISSN
- 1556-5068 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3122141379
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1
- Type
- posted content
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- SSRN Electronic Journal (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Electoral Systems and Political Participation
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Social Policy and Reform Studies
- Keywords
- identity politics, voter identification, group stereotypes, belief polarization, political conflict, economic shocks, globalization, cultural change, redistribution, identity switching, social identity
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