AEA Papers and Proceedings
ISSN 2574-0768 (Print) | ISSN 2574-0776 (Online)
Prejudice in Sub-Saharan Africa: (Why) Is Homophobia Different?
AEA Papers and Proceedings
(pp. 584–588)
Abstract
Prejudices against sexual minorities have been understudied in economics, especially in the low- and middle-income countries where they are harshest. We examine homophobia in Sub-Saharan Africa and show that it is qualitatively different from other biases against out-groups. First, schooling up to the secondary level is unrelated to attitudes toward homosexuals, but it is positively associated with other groups’ ratings. The same is true for frequency of religious practice. Additionally, the north-south gradient in attitudes toward homosexuals is in the opposite direction of those in other out-group ratings. These findings suggest that distinct mechanisms underlie antigay prejudice in Sub-Saharan Africa.Citation
Denton-Schneider, Jon, and Teevrat Garg. 2026. "Prejudice in Sub-Saharan Africa: (Why) Is Homophobia Different?" AEA Papers and Proceedings 116: 584–588. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20261054Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D91 Micro-Based Behavioral Economics: Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
- I20 Education and Research Institutions: General
- J15 Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
- Z12 Cultural Economics: Religion