The Moral Economies of Self-interest: The Case of Proposition 202 (2008) “Arizona Stop Illegal Hiring”

• In Event: 545 - Section on Sociology of Culture Roundtable Session.
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 16. Migration and Identity

Abstract

While self-interest has traditionally been conceptualized as an individualistic function of homo economicus, work in sociology has begun to problematize this notion. To what degree is self-interest collectively constructed? Is self-interest constituted using broader moral norms? This article uses semi-structured interviews to investigate the different conceptualizations of self-interest employed by voters during their evaluation of direct democratic regulation of illegal immigrant labor in Arizona. I find that across income level and political party respondents who identify as voting out of self-interest are either unable to separate their self-interest from society’s interest or constitute their self-interest using broader moral norms. This research is important because it finds that even during the pursuit of self-interest in market behavior, individuals attempt to contribute to the common good. Furthermore, my findings help shed light on processes through which self-interest is collectively constructed.

Author

• Luis Antonio Vila-Henninger, University of Arizona