Toward a Local View of Between-Group Inequality: Fractured Broker Networks and the Implications for Mobilization in Urban Slums

How is between-group inequality related to collective action in broker-mediated patronage systems? Research typically examines between-group inequality at coarse scales, like countries, but I argue that hyper-local neighborhood context conditions politically relevant outcomes. Using original household survey data from over 200 Indian informal settlements, with social network data from a subset, I show local inequality between caste (jati) groups is associated with lower neighborhood collective action potential. Probing mechanisms, I show neighborhoods with higher between-group inequality exhibit more inter-caste conflict and weaker reciprocity; problem-solving networks are also more fragmented, and brokers struggle to build large, cross-caste followings, with adverse consequences for mobilization. These findings contribute to debates on how diversity and inequality structure political behavior and underscore the importance of micro-contexts where citizens interact and mobilize.