COVID-19 Crisis Fuels Hostility against Foreigners

Vojtěch Bartoš, Michal Bauer, Jana Cahlíková () and Julie Chytilová ()
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Jana Cahlíková: Erasmus University Rotterdam

No 13250, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Aggressive behavior against out-group members often rises during periods of economic hardship and health pandemics. Here, we test the widespread concern that the Covid-19 crisis may fuel hostility against people from other nations or ethnic minorities. Using a controlled money-burning task, we elicited hostile behavior among a nationally representative sample (n=2,186) in the Czech Republic, at a time when the entire population was under lockdown. We provide causal evidence that exogenously elevating salience of the Covid-19 crisis magnifies hostility against foreigners. This behavioral response is similar across various demographic sub-groups. The results underscore the importance of not inflaming anti-foreigner sentiments and suggest that efforts to restore international trade and cooperation will need to address both social and economic damage.

Keywords: pandemic; hostility; discrimination; inter-group conflict; scapegoating; COVID-19; experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C90 D01 D63 D91 J15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 57 pages
Date: 2020-05
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-exp and nep-hea
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (24)

Published - revised version published as 'Covid-19 crisis and hostility against foreigners' in: European Economic Review, 2021, 137, 103818

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Related works:
Working Paper: Covid-19 Crisis Fuels Hostility against Foreigners (2020)
Working Paper: Covid-19 Crisis Fuels Hostility against Foreigners (2020)
Working Paper: Covid-19 Crisis Fuels Hostility against Foreigners (2020)
Working Paper: Covid-19 Crisis Fuels Hostility against Foreigners (2020)
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