Measuring ethno-racial discrimination in France: the contribution of correspondence tests

Résumé 0

Of all the violence that plagues society, discrimination is perhaps the least visible and the most difficult to objectify. Very rarely recognized by the people who consciously or unconsciously practice it, it is strongly felt by its victims who are often unable to provide proof of a legal nature. Collecting the voices of victims through surveys or listening platforms sheds useful light on the issue, because beyond the violence and injustice felt, the feeling of discrimination influences individual choices as regards education or career and therefore social inclusion. These actions are not sufficient, however, and must be complemented by an objective and direct measure of discrimination on the perpetrators. This is the purpose of correspondence test, which has emerged in the national and international literature as the main experimental method for assessing discrimination. The aim of this paper is to present this method that has gained scientific significance and review its contribution and limitations. We will illustrate the method by drawing from an extensive overview of the twenty studies that have measured discrimination in access to employment on grounds of origin, in France, since the early 2000s. These academic studies highlight the intensity, pervasiveness, and permanence of differences in treatment based on origin in France, which make ethno-racial discrimination a major challenge for public decision-makers.