Analyzing the Impact of People's Perceptions of Political and Economic Inequalities on Ethnicism (Case Study: Sistani and Turkmen Ethnicity in the City of Gorgan)
Keywords:
Ethnicity, Political and Economic Inequality, Sistani, Turkmen, GorganAbstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of perceived political and economic inequalities on the level of ethnicism among Sistani and Turkmen residents of Gorgan. This survey-based study was conducted among Sistani and Turkmen adults residing in Gorgan. Using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 400 participants was selected, including 200 Sistani and 200 Turkmen respondents. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS. A multistage cluster sampling strategy, supplemented by snowball sampling for parts of the Turkmen population, was employed. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between perceived economic inequality and ethnicism (r = 0.273, p < .01). A significant positive relationship was also found between perceived political inequality and ethnicism (r = 0.239, p < .01). Multiple regression analysis further demonstrated that perceptions of political and economic inequalities, together with selected media-consumption variables, explained approximately 13% of the variance in ethnicism. The findings suggest that perceptions of political and economic inequality contribute to the strengthening of ethnic orientations. As individuals perceive greater inequality and exclusion within society, their tendency toward ethnic identification and ethnic-based demands increases. Policies aimed at reducing inequality and enhancing political and social justice may therefore help strengthen social cohesion and reduce ethnic tensions.
Downloads
References
Abdollahi, M., & Hosseinbar, M. O. (2006). Collective Identity and Attitude toward Democracy in Iran. Iranian Journal of Sociology, 7(4).
Batruch, A., Geven, S., Kessenich, E., & Herman, G. v. d. W. (2023). Are Tracking Recommendations Biased? A Review of Teachers’ Role in the Creation of Inequalities in Tracking Decisions. Teaching and Teacher Education, 123, 103985. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103985
Berman, N., Couttenier, M., & Girard, V. (2023). Mineral Resources and the Salience of Ethnic Identities. The Economic Journal, 133(653), 1705-1737. https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/uead018
Buhl, S., Asbrock, F., Sibley, C. G., & Houkamau, C. (2023). Damned if She Does: The Subordinate Male Target Hypothesis and Discrimination of Social Dominant Female Minority Members. British Journal of Social Psychology, 63(3), 1073-1090. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12716
Chen, C., Beardsley, K., & Weidmann, N. B. (2025). The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side: Transnational Ethnic Inequality and Ethno-Nationalist Conflict. Journal of Peace Research, 62(7), 2355-2370. https://doi.org/10.1177/00223433251317102
Drover, H., Singh, S., Orme, M., & Daynes, E. (2025). Pulmonary Rehabilitation Healthcare Professionals Understanding and Experiences of the Protected Characteristics of Service Users: A Qualitative Analysis. Chronic Respiratory Disease, 22. https://doi.org/10.1177/14799731241307253
Fakouhi, N. (2006). National Culture, Ethnic-Communal Culture, and the Industrial Economy Market. Iranian Journal of Sociology, 7(1).
Fernandez, J. R., Sherchan, J. S., Cho, Y. J., Nanaw, J., Joseph, N. T., & Forde, A. T. (2023). College Students' Underlying Perceptions of COVID-19 Threat, Healthcare Discrimination, and Healthcare System Inequities Associated With Self-Rated Health Across Racial/Ethnic Groups in the U.S. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1028344
Fleming, E., Smith, P. D., & Inglehart, M. R. (2025). Dental and Allied Dental Students’ Cultural Climate‐related Experiences and Perceptions: How Does Ethnicity/Race Matter? Journal of Dental Education, 89(5), 753-766. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13738
Granados, C., & López, F. S. (2024). Race, Inequality, and Political Trust in Latin America. Latin American Politics and Society, 67(1), 56-74. https://doi.org/10.1017/lap.2024.29
Jongen, H., & Scholte, J. A. (2022). Inequality and Legitimacy in Global Governance: An Empirical Study. European Journal of International Relations, 28(3), 667-695. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540661221098218
Kim, H. S. (2023). Oil Extraction and the Changing Dynamics of Pastoral Conflicts: A Conjoint Experiment in Turkana, Kenya. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 61(1), 23-47. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022278x22000398
Konur, T., Abou‐Ismail, R., Cichocka, A., Sibley, C. G., & Sengupta, N. K. (2025). Does Nationalism Compensate for Perceived Ethnic Disadvantage? The Moderating Effect of SDO. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 29(1), 135-156. https://doi.org/10.1177/13684302251358696
Kuppens, L. (2024). Group Self‐Interest vs. Equity: Explaining Support for Horizontal Redistribution in (Former) Competitive Clientelist States. Social Inclusion, 12. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.7687
Langer, A., Leopold, L., & Meuleman, B. (2024). Who Deserves to Be Supported? Analysing Attitudes Towards Horizontal Redistribution in Nigeria. Social Inclusion, 12. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.7603
Lantos, N. A., Hadarics, M., Branković, M., Kende, A., Laar, C. v., Tropp, L. R., Žeželj, I., Sebben, S., Ullrich, J., & Häßler, T. (2025). The Role of Intergroup Contact, Injustice Talk and Perceived Injustice in the Demobilisation of LGBTIQ+ People and Ethnic Minorities. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology, 35(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/casp.70099
Lapham, J., & Martinson, M. L. (2022). The Intersection of Welfare Stigma, State Contexts and Health Among Mothers Receiving Public Assistance Benefits. SSM - Population Health, 18, 101117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101117
Lisnek, J. A., Caluori, N., Brown‐Iannuzzi, J. L., & Oishi, S. (2024). Investigating How High Perceived Economic Inequality Exacerbates Intergroup Competition, Zero-Sum Beliefs, and Perceived Intergroup Prejudice. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 51(10), 1942-1961. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672241234787
Mathews, C. J., Cerda‐Smith, J., Joy, A., Knox, J., Bañales, J., Medina, M., & Mulvey, K. L. (2025). Patterns of Ethnic–racial Identity and Critical Consciousness and Associations With Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Engagement and Perceived Barriers: A Latent Class Analysis of Youth of Color. Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology, 31(4), 776-789. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000716
McGuire, L., Marlow, C. S., Hoffman, A. J., Joy, A., Law, F., Hartstone‐Rose, A., Rutland, A., Winterbottom, M., Balkwill, F. R., Burns, K., Butler, L., Fields, G., & Mulvey, K. L. (2023). Children's and Adolescents’ Evaluations of Wealth‐related STEM Inequality. Social Development, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/sode.12710
Mijs, J., Huang, A. D. H., & Regan, W. A. (2023). Confronting Racism of Omission. Du Bois Review Social Science Research on Race, 21(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1742058x23000140
Mohammadzadeh, H. (2010). Factors Related to Types of Ethnicism among Iranian Kurds Allameh Tabataba'i University, Faculty of Social Sciences].
Moreno‐Bella, E., Kulich, C., Willis, G. B., & Moya, M. (2022). What About Diversity? The Effect of Organizational Economic Inequality on the Perceived Presence of Women and Ethnic Minority Groups. PLoS One, 17(8), e0271356. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0271356
Navah, A., & Taghavi Nasab, S. M. (2007). The Effect of Relative Deprivation on Ethnic Identity and National Identity: A Case Study of Arabs in Khuzestan Province. Iranian Journal of Sociology, 8(2), 142-163.
Rivera‐Rodriguez, A., & Mercado, E. (2024). Racial/Ethnic Collective Autonomy Restriction and Teacher Fairness: Predictors and Moderators of Student's Perceptions of Teacher Support. Frontiers in Education, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1242863
Sakstrup, C., & Bartusevičius, H. (2024). Group-Based Injustice, but Not Group-Based Economic Inequality, Predicts Political Violence Across 18 African Countries. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 15(7), 747-758. https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506241253359
Salehi Amiri, S. R. (2006). Management of Ethnic Conflicts in Iran. Strategic Research Center.
Schuldt, J. P., Pearson, A. R., Lewis, N. A., Jardina, A., & Enns, P. K. (2022). Inequality and Misperceptions of Group Concerns Threaten the Integrity and Societal Impact of Science. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 700(1), 195-207. https://doi.org/10.1177/00027162221086883
Sherchan, J. S., Fernandez, J. R., Njoku, A., Brown, T. H., & Forde, A. T. (2024). Perceptions of Racial-Ethnic Inequities in COVID-19 Healthcare and Willingness to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine. Epidemiology, 35(3), 377-388. https://doi.org/10.1097/ede.0000000000001722
Sherchan, J. S., Fernandez, J. R., Qiao, S., Kruglanski, A. W., & Forde, A. T. (2022). Perceived COVID-19 Threat, Perceived Healthcare System inequities, Personal Experiences of Healthcare Discrimination and Their Associations With COVID-19 Preventive Behavioral Intentions Among College Students in the U.S. BMC public health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14438-5
Smith, A. D. (2007). Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History (M. Ansari, Trans.). Islamic Civilization Publishing.
Statistical Center of, I. (2006). Statistical Yearbook of the Country Statistical Center of Iran.
Tafvelin, S., & Keisu, B. I. (2023). Development and Validation of the InEquality in Organisations Scale (InE-S): A Measure Based on Acker’s Inequality Regimes. Gender in Management an International Journal, 39(4), 480-496. https://doi.org/10.1108/gm-01-2022-0007
Taghavi Nasab, M. (2007). Examining Internal Factors Affecting Ethnic and National Identity among Arabs of Ahvaz County Shiraz University, Department of Sociology and Planning]. Shiraz.
Teigen, M., Midtbøen, A. H., & Karlsen, R. (2022). Elites on Equality: Room for Gender Balance and Ethnic Diversity in Leadership Positions? Acta Sociologica, 66(2), 119-135. https://doi.org/10.1177/00016993211070192
Theunissen, G. (2025). All Social Comparisons Are Local? Inequality, Coethnicity and Subjective Economic Position. Swiss Political Science Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/spsr.70022
Tuki, D. (2024). Undead Past: What Drives Support for the Secessionist Goal of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Nigeria? The Journal of Race Ethnicity and Politics, 9(1), 26-54. https://doi.org/10.1017/rep.2023.36
Varia, M. (2006). Nationalism and Three Journeys. Ranj.
Wegemer, C. M., & Keyserlingk, L. v. (2022). Dual Pandemics of COVID‐19 and Systemic Racism: The Roles of Perceptions of Inequities, Civic Values, and Conservatism in Mask‐wearing Behavior. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 22(1), 66-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12293
Wong, P. H. (2021). Economic Deprivation: Approaches, Causes, and Consequences for Violent Conflicts. 187-197. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95960-3_70
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammadreza Eslami (Author); Gholamreza khoshfar; Ebrahim Mottaghi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
