Taste-Based Discrimination
Résumé
Becker’s (The economics of discrimination. Chicago University Press, Chicago, 1957) book introduces the concept of taste-based discrimination. This chapter first reviews a large literature in economics that aims to complement Becker’s theoretical framework and to test its empirical predictions. Then, the chapter covers the literature in several disciplines (mostly economics, social psychology, and sociology) that defines concepts that are close to Becker’s prejudice, and question its sources. The chapter also seeks to connect taste-based discrimination with other theories of discrimination, including statistical discrimination. The final section presents policies that have been proposed to remedy taste-based discrimination and reviews the literature that evaluates these interventions.