Rooting for the same team: Shared social identities in a polarized context (with Nicolás Ajzenman and Bruno Ferman) [Working Paper]
Abstract
Can shared identities help overcome political divides in polarized settings? We answer this question with a field experiment on Twitter during the Brazilian 2022 elections. Although both congruence in political (supporting the same candidate) and affective (rooting for the same football team) identities increase follow-backs and reduce blocks, the positive effect of shared affective identity weakens when information on political identity is available. Using observational live-streamed data from Twitter during the 2022 World Cup, we complement our analysis by exploring the public political leaning of Brazilian players. Analyzing the content of tweets posted by Brazilian nationals during the country's games, we document significant differences in fans' reactions depending on their political alignment with the specific players that triggered relevant events in the game. Our results indicate that political identity can hinder the potential of other shared identities to reduce political divides and foster social cohesion.
Media Coverage: Esto no es Economía
Discrimination in the Formation of Academic Networks: A Field Experiment on #EconTwitter (with Nicolás Ajzenman and Bruno Ferman) [Working Paper]
Abstract
This paper assesses the results of an experiment designed to identify discrimination in users’ following behavior on Twitter. Specifically, we created fictitious bot accounts that resembled humans and claimed to be PhD students in economics. The accounts differed in three characteristics: gender (male or female), race (Black or White), and university affiliation (top- or lower-ranked). The bot accounts randomly followed Twitter users who form part of the #EconTwitter academic community. We measured how many follow-backs each account obtained after a given period. Twitter users from this community were 12% more likely to follow accounts of White students compared to those of Black students; 21% more likely to follow accounts of students from top-ranked, prestigious universities compared to accounts of lower-ranked institutions; and 25% more likely to follow female compared to male students. The racial gap persisted even among students from top-ranked institutions, suggesting that Twitter users racially discriminate even in the presence of a signal that could be interpreted as indicative of high academic potential. Notably, we find that Black male students from top-ranked universities receive no more follow-backs than White male students from relatively lower-ranked institutions.
Media Coverage: Promarket; Folha de São Paulo
Elections that Inspire: Effects of Black Mayors on Educational Attainment (with Jorge Ikawa, Clarice Martins and Rogério Santarrosa; Previously circulated as: “Black Mayors as Role Models: Evidence from close elections in Brazil”) [Working Paper]
Abstract
This paper studies the effects of the election of Black candidates as mayors in Brazil on Black students’ educational choices and attainment. Using a regression discontinuity design comparing municipalities where Black candidates either won or lost the election by a small margin, we first document that Black students from municipalities where Black candidates win are more likely to enroll for the National High School Examination (ENEM), a high-stakes exam used as an admission criteria for many universities. Effects start two years after the election and persist for up to eight years. We also document positive, but much smaller effects for White students. Consistent with the effect on ENEM enrollment, Black students from municipalities where Black candidates won the election are more likely to be enrolled in universities and, in subsequent years, to graduate. Finally, exploring mechanisms, we find suggestive evidence that shifts in students’ aspirations play (at least partially) an important role: (i) secondary and tertiary education are not primary responsibilities of mayors; (ii) Black mayors do not change policies that could affect our outcomes; and (iii) the effects are strong and similar for Black students from both public and private schools, while weaker for White students from public schools.
Media Coverage: Foco Economico
Crime and Vote: Public Violence and the Election of Law and Order Candidates (with Guilherme Luz). Annals of the 47th National Meeting of Economics, 2019. Available here (in Portuguese)