In a world where ethnic identity is an important part of our social fabric, the idea that ethnicity is fixed and unchangeable is being challenged. This dissertation has shown that one’s ethnicity can be fluid and malleable, with individuals choosing to identify with a different group.
To explore this phenomenon, this dissertation applied an economic perspective to determine the relevance of ethnic identity change using large-scale empirical data from various societies. We found that a significant percentage of individuals change their ethnicity over time, and economic motives do play an important role in their decision. For instance, we show that newlywed men, in Indonesia, adopt the ethnicity of their wives in regions where inheritance goes along the female line to fit in with their wives’ families.
However, not everyone has the ability to change their ethnicity. Social acceptance is often needed, and social acceptance is conditional on speaking a certain language or having typical phenotypical or hereditary traits. Zooming in on the United States, our results show that still only some Americans with particular ancestries and innate traits are becoming White. However, at the same time, we found that racial lines are becoming increasingly blurred over time and more Americans change their self-acclaimed race.
Finally, we found that fluid and malleable ethnicities have far-reaching consequences for social science research. Existing studies often give a biased view on ethnic inequality and segregation because they do not correct for the possibility of ethnicity change during individuals’ lives. People of Color can disappear as Whites in official statistics as soon as they climb the socioeconomic ladder, and figures on ethnic intermarriages tend to be higher than official statistics reveal.
In summary, the dissertation provides valuable insights into the fluidity and malleability of ethnic identity and its economic and social consequences. It challenges traditional views on ethnicity and highlights the importance of taking ethnicity change into account in social science research.