Font Resize

A Decrease font size. A Reset font size. A Increase font size.

Skip to content Skip to footer

Discrimination and Political Engagement: A Cross-national Test (2024)

What is the effect of personal discrimination on the political engagement of ethnic and racial minorities? Existing research theorizes increased engagement, but evidence is mixed. The discrimination and political engagement link is tested across six countries: Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Interest in politics and political actions (e.g. protest and donations) show constant relationships: people who have experienced discrimination have more interest in politics and take more political actions. There is no clear evidence of different effects of political vs social discrimination. However, the link between turnout and discrimination varies systematically across countries: a positive correlation in three separate American datasets, but mixed and null in other countries. This may be the result of the distinctive American conflict over voting rights for racial minorities. The conclusion discusses priorities for future research, including a focus on establishing causal relationships and testing mechanisms.


This virtual space is designed to help us connect across the land that we are currently calling Canada. Our members are standing on different parts of this land that many Indigenous peoples have been taking care of for millennia before settlers arrived. We acknowledge the injustices that have been committed in the past and the harms that continue. We are committed to learning, sharing knowledge, and working towards a just future through building respectful relationships between established or recent settlers and the first nations of what we now call Canada. For learning more about native land: https://native-land.ca