Interested but skeptical: how discrimination shapes politics

How does perceived racial discrimination relate to individuals’ political attitudes and engagement? While previous research has examined the social and psychological effects of discrimination, its political consequences remain less explored. We examine how experiences of unfair treatment are associated with two key dimensions of democratic citizenship: political interest and support for democracy. Using survey data from Guatemala, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, we estimate ordered logit models and use entropy balancing to improve the comparability of respondents who report discrimination and those who do not. Results show that higher perceived discrimination is associated with greater political interest. At the same time, discrimination is associated with lower support for democracy. These patterns remain broadly consistent after entropy balancing. The findings suggest that individuals who experience discrimination appear more politically attentive but less supportive of democracy, indicating that unequal treatment may heighten political awareness while weakening confidence in democratic governance.