TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Bagues, Manuel
AU  - Roth, Christopher
        TI  - Interregional Contact and National Identity
        PY  - 2020/Dec/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 13964
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/index.php/publications/dp13964
        AB  - We study the long-run effects of contact with individuals from other regions on beliefs, preferences and national identity. We combine a natural experiment, the random assignment of male conscripts to different locations throughout Spain, with tailored survey data. Being randomly assigned to complete military service outside of one's region of residence fosters contact with conscripts from other regions, and increases sympathy towards people from the region of service, measured several decades later. We also observe an increase in identification with Spain for individuals originating from regions with peripheral nationalism. Our evidence suggests that intergroup exposure in early adulthood can have long-lasting effects on individual preferences and national identity.
        KW  - beliefs
KW  - intergroup exposure
KW  - interregional contact
KW  - preference formation
KW  - identity
        ER  -