Discrimination in marketized welfare services: a field experiment on Swedish schools

Abstract Providers’ tendency to cream skim clients according certain sociodemographic traits is widely believed increase under marketization, and therefore also discrimination. However, due a lack of experimental research, little known about the presence discrimination in marketized welfare services potential drivers such biased treatment. The research particularly evident regard socioeconomic status (SES) publicly financed for-profit providers. Moreover, competition, an important aspect has not been investigated. Focusing on interesting case Swedish school sector, we aim improve knowledge these matters. In field experiment, 3,430 elementary principals were randomly contacted though e-mail by parents with Arabic- or Swedish-sounding names low- high-socioeconomic professions. fictional interested placing their children at school. sector resembles public several Western countries. results show clear signs ethnic as well SES discrimination, more qualitative aspects replies. find no significant differences between private/for-profit schools depending degree competition market.