Shifts in Attitudes and Labor Market Discrimination: Swedish Experiences after 9-11

We present longitudinal survey data suggesting that the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001, changed attitudes toward certain minorities in Sweden. This finding is consistent with results in previous studies. To investigate whether this change in attitudes also affected the labor mark...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of population economics 2005-11, Vol.18 (4), p.603-629
Main Authors: Åslund, Olof, Rooth, Dan-Olof
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude change
Attitude surveys
Attitudes
Business and economics
Countries
Economics
Ekonomi
Empirical tests
Employers
Employment
Employment discrimination
Ethnic discrimination - Exit from unemployment
Ethnicity
Human rights
Immigrants
Immigration
Investigations
Job hunting
Labor market
Labor markets
Labour market participation
Labour market structure
Longitudinal studies
Market positioning
Minority & ethnic groups
Muslims
Nationalekonomi
Noncitizens
Polls & surveys
Population economics
Public opinion
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP
September 11
September 11 terrorist attacks-2001
Social economics
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Sweden
Terrorism
Unemployment
Wages
Workers
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Summary:We present longitudinal survey data suggesting that the terrorist attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001, changed attitudes toward certain minorities in Sweden. This finding is consistent with results in previous studies. To investigate whether this change in attitudes also affected the labor market situation of these minorities, we study unemployment exit around 9-11 using detailed data on the entire Swedish working-age population. Contrary to what may be expected from many theories of labor market discrimination, the time pattern of exits and entries for different ethnic groups, as well as difference-in-differences analyses, shows no sign of increased discrimination toward these minorities. A possible explanation for this result is that employers act rationally in their hiring decisions and do not respond to changes in attitudes toward immigrants as a group.
ISSN:0933-1433
1432-1475
1432-1475
DOI:10.1007/s00148-005-0036-9