Ethnic discrimination and the dynamics of belonging in Africa

Using Afrobarometer survey data covering 36 countries ( N ≈ 94,000), this study examines the relationship between experiences of ethnic discrimination and patterns of identification among Africans. The regression analysis indicates that as the frequency of ethnic discrimination increases, so does the likelihood that individuals will prioritize their ethnic identity over their national identity. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the negative association between ethnic discrimination and exclusive national identification is substantially stronger than the positive association between ethnic discrimination and exclusive ethnic identification. These regression results are robust to the use of a binary measure of ethnic discrimination and to the employment of a different estimation method. One possible explanation for these findings is that experiences of ethnic discrimination foster feelings of exclusion from the broader national community, prompting individuals to reaffirm their attachment to their ethnic group as a source of belonging, support, and identity.