Intergroup Solidarity: White and Black Responses to Palestine-Israeli Conflict

• In Event: Information & Views of Minoritized Groups

Abstract

How do instances of inter-racial solidarity shift how the public understands racial egalitarian norms? Past work indicates that differences in racial socialization between Black and White Americans produces different responses to coded racial speech. We hypothesize that differences in racial socialization also leads to differences in how the public understands instances of racial solidarity. We test this theory using the ongoing Israel-Palestine crisis as an instance of how Black and White Americans might differently understand instances of racial solidarity. We begin by turning to two public opinion surveys and descriptively demonstrate different patterns in Black and White support for Israeli and Palestinian actions, as well as in their public demonstrations of inter-racial solidarity. In subsequent survey experiments, we find that statements critiquing and supporting Israel versus Palestine differentially drive support among Black versus White Americans. Our results underline previous work that suggest that the uneven socialization of White and Black Americans produces different understanding and application of the norms of racial solidarity.

Authors

• Tabitha Bonilla, Northwestern University

• Nazita Lajevardi, Michigan State University

• Eden Melles, Northwestern University