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Periods of uncertainty are linked to greater acceptance of minorities

Nilsson, Therese LU ; Bergh, Andreas LU and Berggren, Niclas (2025) In Journal of Comparative Economics 53(3). p.772-785
Abstract
Uncertainty affects people in various ways. It is frequently found to hinder investment and production in the economic sphere. In this study, we examine the empirical relationship between uncertainty and tolerance toward Muslims and Jews. Does uncertainty make people more or less tolerant? This question is particularly relevant given the prevalence of pandemics, wars, and financial crises. We investigate this relationship using the World Uncertainty Index, which measures the frequency of the word “uncertain” (and its variants) in The Economist Intelligence Unit country reports. By analyzing quarterly data from up to 56 countries between 1990 and 2020, we link country-level uncertainty to approximately 227,000 individual responses from the... (More)
Uncertainty affects people in various ways. It is frequently found to hinder investment and production in the economic sphere. In this study, we examine the empirical relationship between uncertainty and tolerance toward Muslims and Jews. Does uncertainty make people more or less tolerant? This question is particularly relevant given the prevalence of pandemics, wars, and financial crises. We investigate this relationship using the World Uncertainty Index, which measures the frequency of the word “uncertain” (and its variants) in The Economist Intelligence Unit country reports. By analyzing quarterly data from up to 56 countries between 1990 and 2020, we link country-level uncertainty to approximately 227,000 individual responses from the World Values Survey/European Values Study regarding whether respondents would like to have Jews or Muslims as neighbors. Leveraging the precise timing of survey interviews, we relate individual attitudes to prevailing uncertainty levels. Our results indicate a positive relationship between uncertainty and both tolerance indicators. Thus, for those concerned with attitudes toward minorities often subjected to prejudice, calm periods may pose greater risks to tolerance than volatile periods. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Comparative Economics
volume
53
issue
3
pages
772 - 785
publisher
Academic Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:105004726240
ISSN
0147-5967
DOI
10.1016/j.jce.2025.05.001
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
341ba9d0-f123-42ed-84ea-a519259dde4a
date added to LUP
2025-05-06 22:43:00
date last changed
2025-10-14 11:38:09
@article{341ba9d0-f123-42ed-84ea-a519259dde4a,
  abstract     = {{Uncertainty affects people in various ways. It is frequently found to hinder investment and production in the economic sphere. In this study, we examine the empirical relationship between uncertainty and tolerance toward Muslims and Jews. Does uncertainty make people more or less tolerant? This question is particularly relevant given the prevalence of pandemics, wars, and financial crises. We investigate this relationship using the World Uncertainty Index, which measures the frequency of the word “uncertain” (and its variants) in The Economist Intelligence Unit country reports. By analyzing quarterly data from up to 56 countries between 1990 and 2020, we link country-level uncertainty to approximately 227,000 individual responses from the World Values Survey/European Values Study regarding whether respondents would like to have Jews or Muslims as neighbors. Leveraging the precise timing of survey interviews, we relate individual attitudes to prevailing uncertainty levels. Our results indicate a positive relationship between uncertainty and both tolerance indicators. Thus, for those concerned with attitudes toward minorities often subjected to prejudice, calm periods may pose greater risks to tolerance than volatile periods.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Therese and Bergh, Andreas and Berggren, Niclas}},
  issn         = {{0147-5967}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{772--785}},
  publisher    = {{Academic Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Comparative Economics}},
  title        = {{Periods of uncertainty are linked to greater acceptance of minorities}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2025.05.001}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jce.2025.05.001}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}