Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Bridges in social networks: Harnessing dual identity to improve interethnic relations

Project description

New approaches for positive interethnic relations

Modern society is multicultural, bringing together various ethnic and cultural groups. This is why forming positive intergroup relations is important. In this context, the European Research Council project DUALNETS will explore the role of minority members in helping to improve the relations between ethnic minority and majority groups. For instance, minority members who identify with both their ethnic group and the national majority group can create social bridges between communities. Specifically, DUALNETS will study how dual identifiers’ relationships with members of both groups are signals of their dual belonging, and how perceiving dual identifiers improves intergroup attitudes and relationships. The project will develop and test a pioneering methodology to measure perceptions of people’s ethnicity and their relationships in social networks.

Objective

Improving relations between ethnic minority and majority groups is one of the most pressing needs in modern societies. This project will test a new theory: that such relations can be improved by minority members who identify with both their ethnic group and the national majority group, because these dual identifiers can create social bridges between communities. However, not all dual identifiers are recognized as such by others, and misperception may undermine the bridging that dual identifiers can accomplish. I propose that (a) dual identifiers’ relationships with members of both groups are signals of their dual belonging, but that the degree to which these signals are picked up depends on people’s perception of the structure of their social networks, (b) that perceiving dual identifiers improves intergroup attitudes and relationships, and (c) that these effects occur most likely under specific situational and social psychological conditions. Thus, this project will advance the interdisciplinary fields of intergroup relations and network science by moving away from the problematic assumptions of previous work that people are always fully aware of others’ dual identities and relationships.
I will develop and test a pioneering methodology to measure perceptions of people’s ethnicity and their relationships in social networks. Survey experiments and a two- and three-wave longitudinal school study will then be conducted to (1) detect how perceived relationships in social networks affect recognition of dual identifiers, (2) uncover whether and how perceiving dual identifiers (as social bridges) improves interethnic relations, and (3) discover factors that prevent or facilitate the effect of dual identifiers. Next to the theoretical innovation, the focus on the consequences of perceived social networks will break new ground in social network analysis. The findings will lead to new approaches for facilitating the development of positive interethnic relations.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

(opens in new window) ERC-2021-COG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

UNIVERSITEIT UTRECHT
Net EU contribution
€ 1 999 894,00
Address
HEIDELBERGLAAN 8
3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 1 999 894,00

Beneficiaries (1)