On August 21, 2025, the review article “Ethnic Discrimination in Hiring: Causes and Countermeasures—A Systematic Review of the Empirical Evidence” by Pinar Aslan Akay and Maria Cheung was published in Sociology Compass. This review article synthesizes empirical evidence from 86 studies, primarily published between 2015-2024, focusing on the drivers of ethnic discrimination in recruitment and strategies to mitigate it.
The results show that there is an ethnic hierarchy in recruitment processes, where non-Western applicants face disproportionately high levels of discrimination. This bias is largely driven by employers' prejudices and stereotypical perceptions, rather than differences in qualifications or experience. Notably, the pattern of discrimination persists even when employers are provided with additional applicant information. At the organizational level, the review article shows that clear, structured and standardized selection processes are associated with lower levels of discrimination, while norms that emphasize social or cultural cohestion increase the risk of discrimination. Organizations that prioritize competence over “cultural fit” therefore discriminate to a lesser extent.
The authors recommend that employers raise awareness of biases at every stage of recruitment, develop diversity plans with measurable goals and regular follow-up, conduct organizational risk assessments for discrimination, and strengthen the standardization of recruitment practices.
Photographer: Tahir Osman via Unsplash.
