ABSTRACT

Since Putnam introduced his constrict thesis in 2007, many researchers have established that ethnic diversity lowers perceptions of social cohesion, at least in the short term. The connection between ethnic diversity and social behavior, however, is less certain. In this paper we draw on social distance and social identity theories to empirically test if ethnic diversity encourages behaviors linked to social withdrawal. Using data from a longitudinal panel study of urban communities in Australia, we examine the influence of social distance on neighborhood ties, neighborly exchange, and civic engagement and assess if an individual’s social identity (ethnic or civic) strengthens or weakens these relationships. We find individuals that endorse an ethnic identity are more likely to engage in social withdrawal behaviors. Withdrawal is also more likely in neighborhoods where individuals distort the presence of minorities.

摘要

自从普特南在 2007 年提出他的狭隘论文以来，许多研究人员已经确定种族多样性降低了对社会凝聚力的看法，至少在短期内如此。然而，种族多样性与社会行为之间的联系不太确定。在本文中，我们利用社会距离和社会认同理论来实证检验种族多样性是否鼓励与社会退缩相关的行为。使用来自澳大利亚城市社区的纵向小组研究的数据，我们研究了社会距离对邻里关系、邻里交流和公民参与的影响，并评估个人的社会身份（种族或公民）是否加强或削弱了这些关系。我们发现支持种族身份的个人更有可能从事社会退缩行为。