(Page 2 of 32) - Identity, Perceptions of Discrimination and Political Engagement: The Causes and Consequences of Reactive Identity Among Latinos authored by Schildkraut, Deborah.

Identity, perceptions of discrimination, and political engagement:

The causes and consequences of reactive ethnicity among Latinos

It hardly needs to be said anymore that the U.S. has experienced dramatic population

changes over the past several decades. Two aspects of these changes have received the most
attention from observers and scholars alike. The first is the overall level of immigration. The
Census Bureau estimates that the U.S. population is now 11.5% foreign born (Schmidley, 2003),
a proportion not reached in roughly 100 years. The second is the changing face of immigration.
The overwhelming majority of immigrants arriving in the U.S. today come from Latin American
and Asian countries rather than from Europe. Today, for example, the size of the Latino
population in the U.S. matches the size of the African American population. The image of “the
immigrant” has become distinctly non-white.

In light of these population trends, it has become increasingly important to consider

whether, when, and how ethnic minorities and immigrants come to think of themselves as full
members of the American political community and what the political implications are for the
different types of identity choices they make. The present study focuses on one of the many
factors that can affect self-identification: perceived treatment by the host society. More
specifically, it investigates how perceptions of discrimination against oneself and against one’s
ethnic group affect whether people see themselves as Americans and what, if any, the political
consequences are if people maintain strong emotional and cognitive ties to their countries of
origin. The potential political consequences examined here concern political engagement,
including political participation and opinions about the trustworthiness and responsiveness of
American government and elected officials. From all corners, we hear many a lamentation that
Americans fail to live up to their civic duties and that they lack trust in, and esteem for, their
elected representatives. Many reasons abound, but as the nation’s population becomes less white,
we need to consider the roles that self-identification and perceived treatment by the dominant
society might play in affecting whether people carry out their civic responsibilities and have faith
in the political process.

Identity formation causes and consequences

Vigorous debates rage on about whether patriotism, love of one’s country, and a strong

sense of national identity are harmful or beneficial to individuals, groups, nations, and the
international community. Both sides in this debate make valid claims. On the one hand, having a
strong attachment to one’s country can lead to hostility toward outsiders, to feelings of
superiority, and to uncritical support for the policies and actions of one’s government. At the
same time, possessing strong national attachments can also lead to greater willingness to make
sacrifices for the public good, to obey laws and pay taxes, and to engage in more civic-minded
behavior (e.g., de Figueiredo & Elkins, 2003; Druckman, 1994; Furia, 2002; Schatz, Staub, &
Lavine, 1999; Sullivan, Fried, & Dietz, 1992; Theiss-Morse, 2003; Theiss-Morse, 2004).

Determining how to cultivate the benefits of strong national identities while mitigating

the harms is an important political project, though not the one pursued here. Rather, I simply
posit that there are valid reasons to believe it is desirable for all citizens, be they recent arrivals