Participation in Heterogeneous Communities

Alberto Alesina and Eliana La Ferrara

No 7155, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: This paper studies both theoretically and empirically the determinants of group formation and of the degree of participation when the population is heterogeneous, both in terms of income and race or ethnicity. We are especially interested in whether and how much the degree of heterogeneity in communities influences the amount of participation in different types of groups. Using survey data on group membership and data on US localities, we find that, after controlling for many individual characteristics, participation in social activities is significantly lower in more unequal and in more racially or ethnically fragmented localities. We also find that those individuals who express views against racial mixing are less prone to participate in the groups the more racially heterogeneous their community is.

Date: 1999-06
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Published as Alesina, Alberto and Elliana La Ferrara. "Participation In Heterogeneous Communities," Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2000, v115(3,Aug), 847-904.

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Related works:
Journal Article: Participation in Heterogeneous Communities (2000)
Working Paper: Participation in Heterogeneous Communities (2000)
Working Paper: Participation in Heterogeneous Communities
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