Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis

One of the most studied hypotheses in political economy and development literature posits that social heterogeneity is negatively associated with favorable societal and political outcomes. This study problematizes the diversity debit hypothesis. It overviews its theoretical underpinning and uncover...

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Main Author: Alexei Anisin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: UJ Press 2023-07-01
Series:Journal of BRICS Studies
Online Access:https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jbs/article/view/2183
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author Alexei Anisin
author_facet Alexei Anisin
author_sort Alexei Anisin
collection DOAJ
description One of the most studied hypotheses in political economy and development literature posits that social heterogeneity is negatively associated with favorable societal and political outcomes. This study problematizes the diversity debit hypothesis. It overviews its theoretical underpinning and uncovers its roots to be in rational choice theory and the homo economicus framework of human behavior. As such, scholarly accounts of diversity debit have attributed it to the agency (or lack thereof) of minority groups and their impaired ability to engage in collective mobilization to pressure elites for concessions. Through case studies of three most-different countries: the US, Turkey, and Vietnam, this study discovers that even when mass mobilization has been waged by minority groups either along ethnic or cross-ethnic boundaries, it has not led to favorable outcomes. Diversity debit has subsisted and will likely continue to exist not as a result of individual failure, but due to the interaction of structural (neoliberal capitalistic) forces with the agency of either government-led actions (antagonization and discrimination of minority groups) and corporate profiteering.
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spelling doaj-art-48c316ab8fb046738be7ff18a828b4d72025-01-08T06:16:50ZengUJ PressJournal of BRICS Studies2519-74522519-74602023-07-012110.36615/jbs.v2i1.2183Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis Alexei Anisin0a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:72:"Anglo-American University, School of International Relations & Diplomacy";} One of the most studied hypotheses in political economy and development literature posits that social heterogeneity is negatively associated with favorable societal and political outcomes. This study problematizes the diversity debit hypothesis. It overviews its theoretical underpinning and uncovers its roots to be in rational choice theory and the homo economicus framework of human behavior. As such, scholarly accounts of diversity debit have attributed it to the agency (or lack thereof) of minority groups and their impaired ability to engage in collective mobilization to pressure elites for concessions. Through case studies of three most-different countries: the US, Turkey, and Vietnam, this study discovers that even when mass mobilization has been waged by minority groups either along ethnic or cross-ethnic boundaries, it has not led to favorable outcomes. Diversity debit has subsisted and will likely continue to exist not as a result of individual failure, but due to the interaction of structural (neoliberal capitalistic) forces with the agency of either government-led actions (antagonization and discrimination of minority groups) and corporate profiteering. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jbs/article/view/2183
spellingShingle Alexei Anisin
Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis
Journal of BRICS Studies
title Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis
title_full Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis
title_fullStr Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis
title_full_unstemmed Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis
title_short Problematizing the Diversity Debit Hypothesis
title_sort problematizing the diversity debit hypothesis
url https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jbs/article/view/2183
work_keys_str_mv AT alexeianisin problematizingthediversitydebithypothesis