The effect of symbolic racism on environmental concern and environmental action

Abstract

Studies have demonstrated that individuals’ perception of personal risk impacts their level of concern about environmental destruction. People of color, within the United States and internationally, experience a disproportionate share of the hazards associated with environmental degradation, both in terms of polluting industry and anthropogenic climate change. I hypothesize that individuals who hold racist beliefs won’t see themselves as the potential victims of negative environmental consequences and, therefore, will be less concerned about environmental issues. This research examines individuals’ beliefs about both innate racial differences, termed biological racism, as well as symbolic racism, characterized by expressions of abstract liberalism which deny the history of systemic racialized inequality. Using the 2010 General Social Survey, I analyze the impact of those racist beliefs on respondents’ level of environmental concern. Both types of racism are significant predictors of lower levels of environmental concern, even when demographic and ideological factors are controlled, suggesting that racism helps shape environmental concern, though further longitudinal analysis is needed to determine the precise nature and direction of the causal mechanism. These findings indicate that anti-racist activism and advocacy should be part of a multi-strategy approach to promote environmental sustainability and reduce risks associated with environmental destruction.