White Identity, Political Elites and Political Behaviour in Canada

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Snagovsky, Feodor

• SSHRC IDG awarded 2022: This research will identify (1) how white identity activation affects people’s political attitudes and behaviours; (2) which actors activate white identity, and how this can be mitigated; and (3) the mechanisms through which white identity activation takes place. We will conduct a mixed­method study involving survey experiments and focus groups in Canada. Combining these two methods will allow for a deeper understanding of white identity activation at both the individual and group levels. The survey component of the project will use online experiments to identify (A) how white identity activation affects people’s attitudes towards policies that promote diversity, such as official multiculturalism and immigration; (B) whether politicians or interest groups most strongly activate white identity, and whether social desirability norms can mitigate this; and (C) how emotions and other attitudes mediate white identity activation. The focus groups will expose participants to similar tests as the surveys, but in a communal environment.

• Date created

  2022-01-02

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Insight Development Grant
  • IDG
  • SSHRC
  • Political Science
  • White Identity
  • Whiteness
  • Behaviour
  • Ethnicity
  • Social Identity Theory
  • Political
  • Elites
  • Culture
  • Canadian
  • Politics
  • Provincial
  • Government
  • Western Canada
  • Cantral Canada
  • Atlantic Provinces
  • Canada

• Type of Item

  Research Material

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-w8ey-9q32

• License

  ©️Snagovsky, Feodor. All rights reserved other than by permission. This document embargoed to those without UAlberta CCID until 2026.