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VAM-Velferd, arbeid og migrasjon

Measuring and Explaining Discrimination in the Labour Market: New Understandings and Political Solutions

Awarded: NOK 11.0 mill.

We are working on several papers, and we are in the process of presenting them at academic conferences - mainly abroad. DISCRIM papers have been presented at EALE (European Assoc of Labour Economists), INAS (International network of Analytical Sociologists), NORFACE, and other conferences. This way, we can ascertain critical scrutinizing of our results, which will benefit our work on the project. Although it takes time to submit papers and publish them, we can report from some of our findings. In a Kronikk in Aftenposten 20.03.2013, we reported results from two of our field-experiments, under the headline: Education pays. Our studies show that discrimination of job applicants with a Pakistani name was less pronounced in jobs requiring education. We are also comparing results from our field experiments in Oslo with a previous Oslo-study (ISF study of discrimination), and we are testing if we find different call-back rates (measuring discrimination) in Oslo and other Norwegian cities (Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim). In a different paper we are exploring the impact of unemployment on discrimination, to see if minorities are penalized more than majority job applicants if they have experienced a period of unemployment. Using register data, we are working on a range of different papers. One paper is looking at the time it takes for second generation immigrants, both girls and boys, with Indian and Pakistani background to get a job after they have finished their education, comparing them to majority students with similar education. Another paper tries to establish causally if there is an economic gain (in terms of easier access to jobs and higher wages) for immigrants marrying ethnic Norwegians as compared to marrying other immigrants. We are looking at career trajectories of second generation immigrants in the labor market, using occupational prestige as a measure of career moves, within and between firms. One of our master students is looking at the time it takes for women to get back into the labor market after they have had a child, and another master student is addressing ethnic wage inequalities. The ISF-group of this project is working on a paper on monopsonistic power, i.e. the market power of employers. All in all, the project is characterized by a very high activity level, involving 7 master students, one ph.d. scholar, five researchers, two research assistants, and one professor. There will be a substantial number of publications from the DISCRIM project. Project webpage: http://www.sv.uio.no/iss/english/research/projects/discrim/index.html

Discrimination in the labour market occurs when people with similar qualifications and merits are treated unequally. Our project will measure if immigrants are discriminated in the labour market, and if so, in what segments. By combining a new methodologi cal research design (correspondence testing) with solid empirical research using register data, this project will increase our knowledge about the prevalence and causes of discrimination. We will pay special attention to gender differences among immigrant s and compare them with gender differences in the majority population. Our main dependent variables are access to jobs, employment careers and wage differentials. Using register data including the whole population we will provide solid empirical analyse s of the Norwegian labour market, with a specific focus on labour market outcomes for immigrants and their children (second generation) with so-called non-western origin (non-OECD countries, plus Turkey) as compared with the majority population. Empirical ly we will investigate discriminaiton in two ways: first by performing a field experiment to test employers behaviour (correspondence testing, with follow-up interviews). Second, we will, using register data, estimate how important employers power in the labor market is for explaining access to employment and wage differentials. Thus, by switching our focus to the demand side of the labor market, where, given access to labor supply, the decision power is located, we will get a better understanding of disc rimination, its prevalence and explanation. Our project will increase our knowledge about the prevalence and causes of discrimination in the labour market, thereby contributing with policy relevant knowledge for implementing more targeted measures again st discrimination.

Funding scheme:

VAM-Velferd, arbeid og migrasjon