Employment Denial as Repression: Evidence from Argentina's Film Industry

• In Event: Novel Approaches to Studying Consequences of Repression

Abstract

This paper explores the individual-level effects of a common form of repression: employment restriction. To do so, I match members of the film industry who appeared on the Argentine dictatorship's artistic ``blacklists'' -- which limited career opportunities for suspected communists between 1976 and 1982 -- to their online movie database pages. Compared to other Argentine cast and crew, inclusion on the list is associated with fewer roles, partially moderated by working abroad. However, it is also associated with more backlash: after the dictatorship ended, targeted artists were more likely to be involved in movies dealing with authoritarianism. Additional results suggest this is not entirely due to ideology. Results offer new evidence on the impact of even non-violent forms of repression.

Author

• Jane Esberg, University of Pennsylvania