The Role of Religion and Country of Origin on Ethnoracial Assignment in the U.S.

• In Event: Identity Formation and Maintenance in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

What does it mean to be white? Does religion influence how white Americans view race, causing them to classify individuals into different ethnoracial categories due to their religion? If so, it would suggest that racial views are more than ascriptive. This possibility is not a new idea, per se, as religion has historically played a role in ethnoracial classifications, but its role in contemporary, empirical studies of American race and ethnic politics has been largely absent.

I argue religion is a unique attribute—not synonymous with racial heritage or country of origin—that can alter ethnoracial assignments (how society at large issues ethnoracial labels to other groups). I focus here on Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Americans. This is an interesting case in its own right since MENA Americans are legally classified as white in the US and have been since 1909. But due to the racialization of MENA and Muslims—an important but by no means only religion of MENA individuals—the white label may no longer be suitable. That is, “Americans on the street”, may not think of MENA individuals as white. The question here is whether the Muslim religion itself alters ethnoracial assignment even though it is not technically a race or ethnicity.
Using historical analysis of racial prerequisite court cases and a novel survey experimental design, I find country of origin and religion play unique roles in racial assignment decisions. Those who are the most likely to be assigned white are from Europe countries and Christian. Those who are least likely to be assigned white are from the Middle East and Muslim. And those who are either Europeans and Muslim or Middle Eastern and Christian fall in the middle. Partially at stake in this research is a call to be more thoughtful in who we consider white when studying white American attitudes. Perhaps more importantly, however, is that this study asks us to consider how the racial hierarchy may differentially effect people who are considered white on legal documents or surveys, but not considered white by every day, white Americans.

Author

• Amanda Sahar d'Urso, Northwestern University