Date : Jeudi | 2025-01-30 à 12h30
Lieu : Salle des thèses

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Sarmistha PAL (University of Surrey)

We examine how within-group inequality, by influencing the group bias of state institutions such as the police and the judiciary, affects the cost-benefit calculus of individuals engaging in identity-assertive behaviour, that results in police complaints regarding hate crimes. We develop a two-stage contest model of between-group conflict, where the relative influence over state institutions exerted by a group, determined by an initial contest, affects subsequent hierarchy-establishing interaction between individuals belonging to opposing groups. Applying this model to caste conflict in India, we find that greater inequality among upper caste and OBC Hindus might reduce the registered rate of crimes against SCs committed by such individuals, as well as the conviction rate for these crimes. Conversely, greater inequality among SCs increases both rates. Using state-level annual crime and household consumption data from India over the period 2005-2021, we find robust empirical support for these hypotheses. Between-group inequality does not appear to matter for either the rate of crimes against SCs or the conviction rate.