The Spatial Drivers of Discrimination: Evidence From Anti-Muslim Fake News in India

Abraham, Samira S. ; Lanzara, Gianandrea ; Lazzaroni, Sara ; Masella, Paolo ; Squicciarini, Mara P. (2023) The Spatial Drivers of Discrimination: Evidence From Anti-Muslim Fake News in India. Bologna: Dipartimento di Scienze economiche, p. 58. DOI 10.6092/unibo/amsacta/7147. In: Quaderni - Working Paper DSE (1180). ISSN 2282-6483.
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Abstract

This paper studies how discriminatory fake news arises and spatially diffuses. We focus on India at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: on March 30, a Muslim convention (the Tablighi Jamaat) in New Delhi became publicly recognized as a COVID hotspot, and the next day, fake news on Muslims intentionally spreading the virus spiked. Using Twitter data, we build a comprehensive novel dataset of georeferenced tweets to identify anti-Muslim fake news. We find, in cross-sectional and difference-in-difference settings, that discriminatory fake news became much more widespread after March 30 (1) in New Delhi, (2) in districts closer to New Delhi, and (3) in districts with higher social media interactions with New Delhi. Further, we investigate whether deeply rooted historical factors may have also played a role in the diffusion of anti-Muslim fake news: we show that, after March 30, discriminatory fake news was more common in districts historically exposed to attacks by Muslim groups.

Abstract
Tipologia del documento
Monografia (Working paper)
Autori
AutoreAffiliazioneORCID
Abraham, Samira S.Department of Economics, University of Bologna
Lanzara, GianandreaDepartment of Economics, Bocconi University
Lazzaroni, SaraDepartment of Economics, University of Bologna0000-0003-0488-6518
Masella, PaoloDepartment of Economics, University of Bologna0000-0003-3182-1584
Squicciarini, Mara P.Department of economics, Bocconi University0000-0003-0821-5738
Parole chiave
Discrimination, fake news, religion, Covid, India.
Settori scientifico-disciplinari
ISSN
2282-6483
DOI
Data di deposito
17 Gen 2023 13:40
Ultima modifica
17 Gen 2023 13:40
Nome del Progetto
ATLJHB - Religious and Racial Discrimination Attitudes: Evidence from a Contemporary and a Historical context
Programma di finanziamento
MIUR - PRIN
URI

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