Effects of jobs on ethnic switching – evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia
Effects of jobs on ethnic switching – evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia
Ethnicity is a dynamic construct, with individual-level ethnic switching having been reported in numerous contexts. Ethnic switching, typically attributed to instrumental or social identity motivations, is hypothesized to be influenced by employment, as it facilitates a shift away from land-based, ethnic dependencies. However, confirming this theory is challenging due to inherent selection biases in employment. Collaborating with 27 firms across five Ethiopian regions, we randomized job offers to women. Utilizing longitudinal data spanning several years, we find that formal employment causally increases ethnic switching. In-depth qualitative interviews in the two regions with the highest incidence of switching indicate that instrumental factors, including fear during work commutes, are important mechanisms.
Ethiopia, employment, ethnicity, identity
Beeder, Monica
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Aalen, Lovise
cf07b055-f8c9-4c71-a98a-2259d0589452
Kotsadam, Andreas
98c70f86-1f5c-4c4a-8ee7-353c92ace02b
Villanger, Espen
8f433be2-4f53-462e-b8ed-82aac6f59c05
27 February 2025
Beeder, Monica
0d3ef837-7aaf-4d42-841a-3329d2e137e8
Aalen, Lovise
cf07b055-f8c9-4c71-a98a-2259d0589452
Kotsadam, Andreas
98c70f86-1f5c-4c4a-8ee7-353c92ace02b
Villanger, Espen
8f433be2-4f53-462e-b8ed-82aac6f59c05
Beeder, Monica, Aalen, Lovise, Kotsadam, Andreas and Villanger, Espen
(2025)
Effects of jobs on ethnic switching – evidence from a field experiment in Ethiopia.
Journal of Development Studies.
(doi:10.1080/00220388.2025.2467650).
Abstract
Ethnicity is a dynamic construct, with individual-level ethnic switching having been reported in numerous contexts. Ethnic switching, typically attributed to instrumental or social identity motivations, is hypothesized to be influenced by employment, as it facilitates a shift away from land-based, ethnic dependencies. However, confirming this theory is challenging due to inherent selection biases in employment. Collaborating with 27 firms across five Ethiopian regions, we randomized job offers to women. Utilizing longitudinal data spanning several years, we find that formal employment causally increases ethnic switching. In-depth qualitative interviews in the two regions with the highest incidence of switching indicate that instrumental factors, including fear during work commutes, are important mechanisms.
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Effects of Jobs on Ethnic Switching Evidence from a Field Experiment in Ethiopia
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Accepted/In Press date: 11 February 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 27 February 2025
Published date: 27 February 2025
Keywords:
Ethiopia, employment, ethnicity, identity
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 499504
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/499504
ISSN: 0022-0388
PURE UUID: b9636326-1315-459b-83e4-8c5d23153b80
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Date deposited: 21 Mar 2025 17:55
Last modified: 30 Aug 2025 02:20
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Contributors
Author:
Monica Beeder
Author:
Lovise Aalen
Author:
Andreas Kotsadam
Author:
Espen Villanger
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