Intergroup contacts, social networks and the effect of right-wing authoritarianism and social dominance orientation on racism

Skolarski’s article investigates the influence of intergroup contacts, social networks, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) on both the perception of racism and the denial of racism among public service staff in Germany. Using data from the 2023 INRA staff survey, which includes responses from 12,833 employees across four federal agencies, Skolarski examines how these factors shape attitudes towards racism. The findings indicate that both RWA and SDO significantly predict a lower perception and a higher denial of racism. Notably, workplace contacts have a more substantial impact than private contacts on reducing racism perception and denial. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), Skolarski validates the relationships between these predictors and latent variables. The results highlight the critical role of different forms of contact and the critical role of personal attitudes in shaping views on racism.