scholarly journals The Unceasing Significance of Colorism: Skin Tone Stratification in the United States

Daedalus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 150 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-90
Author(s):  
Ellis P. Monk
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Skin Tone ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Past Century ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Life Chances

Abstract For many decades now, social scientists have documented immense ethnoracial inequalities in the United States. Much of this work is rooted in comparing the life chances, trajectories, and outcomes of African Americans to White Americans. From health to wealth and nearly every measure of well-being, success, and thriving one can find, White Americans remain ahead of Black Americans. What this focus on ethnoracial inequality between “groups” obscures, however, is long-standing skin tone inequality within groups. In this essay, I trace the trajectory of colorism and skin tone stratification in the United States over the past century. Next, I high-light the contemporary persistence of skin tone stratification, not only among African Americans, but among Latinx and Asian Americans as well. I conclude by arguing that future research on colorism will be essential to understand comprehensively the significance of race/ethnicity in a demographically shifting United States (such as immigration and “multiraciality”).

Questions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Gibson ◽  
Michael J. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Supreme Court ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Public Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
The U.S

We have investigated the differences in support for the U.S. Supreme Court among black, Hispanic, and white Americans, catalogued the variation in African Americans’ group attachments and experiences with legal authorities, and examined how those latter two factors shape individuals’ support for the U.S. Supreme Court, that Court’s decisions, and for their local legal system. We take this opportunity to weave our findings together, taking stock of what we have learned from our analyses and what seem like fruitful paths for future research. In the process, we revisit Positivity Theory. We present a modified version of the theory that we hope will guide future inquiry on public support for courts, both in the United States and abroad.

Racial and Political Dynamics of an Approaching “Majority-Minority” United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 677 (1) ◽  
pp. 204-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen A. Craig ◽  
Julian M. Rucker ◽  
Jennifer A. Richeson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Political Outcomes ◽  
Essential Questions ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Demographic Shifts ◽  
Projected Changes

Do demographic shifts in the racial composition of the United States promote positive changes in the nation’s racial dynamics? Change in response to the nation’s growing diversity is likely, but its direction and scope are less clear. This review integrates emerging social-scientific research that examines how Americans are responding to the projected changes in the racial/ethnic demographics of the United States. Specifically, we review recent empirical research that examines how exposure to information that the United States is becoming a “majority-minority” nation affects racial attitudes and several political outcomes (e.g., ideology, policy preferences), and the psychological mechanisms that give rise to those attitudes. We focus primarily on the reactions of members of the current dominant racial group (i.e., white Americans). We then consider important implications of these findings and propose essential questions for future research.

14. Political Democracy and State Repression

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Davenport
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African Americans ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Political Democracy ◽  
State Repression ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Way

This chapter explores the relationship between political democracy and state repression. Afer providing an overview of the democracy–repression link, it considers what research has been conducted on the topic and also what has been ignored. It uses the United States and its treatment of African Americans as an example of how existing research in this field should change, as well as to emphasize the importance of disaggregation (regarding institutions, actors, and actions). The chapter concludes by suggesting directions for future research. It argues that researchers need to improve the way in which they think about the relationship between democracy and repression, and that they need to modify how they gather information about democracy and repression.

scholarly journals Experiences of Older Adults During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States: An Initial Exploration of Nationally Representative Data at the Intersection of Gender and Race

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110482
Author(s):  
Takashi Yamashita ◽  
Wonmai Punksungka ◽  
Samuel Van Vleet ◽  
Abigail Helsinger ◽  
Phyllis Cummins
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Gender And Race ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Project Data ◽  
Older Populations

Little is known about the overall experiences and feelings of diverse older populations during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. To provide the baseline information for future research and policy, this study analyzed the 2020 Health and Retirement Study COVID-19 project data ( n = 1782). More than 70% of older adults reported the following activities: watching TV (98%), reading (90%), using a computer and the internet (83%), gardening (82%), walking (75%), baking and cooking (73%), and praying (73%). Volunteering and attending community groups, which are known to benefit well-being, were unpopular (less than 8%). During the pandemic, older adults were generally satisfied with their lives, but more than half of them were concerned about their own health, family’s health, and future prospects. Our study also showed the differences in the experiences and feelings by gender and race as well as the intersection of gender and race in the United States.

Black and White Homicide Differentials

1983 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
DARNELL F. HAWKINS
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Justice System ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Direct Effects ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Black Life

Rates of homicide among blacks in the United States have been consistently higher than those of white Americans and of other American nonwhites. Subculture of violence theory has been the most widely accepted explanation for these differences. In this article, I argue that subculture theory ignores or underemphasizes a variety of historical-structural, situational, and economic factors that might explain high rates of black homicide. Seldom examined is the behavior of the law. Three theoretical propositions are offered as guides for future research. These propositions suggest that (1) the historical devaluing of black life, (2) official responses of the criminal justice system to prehomicide behavior among blacks, and (3) the direct effects of economic deprivation are important causal factors.

Predictors and Outcomes of U.S. Quality Maternity Leave: A Review and Conceptual Framework

2021 ◽  
pp. 089484532110373
Author(s):  
Haley M. Sterling ◽  
Blake A. Allan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Maternity Leave ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Subjective Experiences ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Work Related

Maternity leave includes the time that mothers take off from work to care for their baby and heal after childbirth. The United States’ maternity leave provisions lag behind other industrialized countries, resulting in poor quality maternity leave (QML) for many mothers. Accordingly, scholars have begun examining QML, a new construct that captures mothers’ subjective experiences of their leave, including dimensions like time off and flexibility. However, researchers know little about predictors and outcomes of QML. Therefore, in this literature review, we will integrate societal-, work-, and individual-level predictors as well as well-being and work-related outcomes of maternity leave into a testable conceptual framework for QML. This review has important implications for U.S. policy makers and organizations regarding their support of mothers. Future research should continue to build this framework to ensure that mothers and parents in the United States and internationally are provided the QML they need to thrive.

scholarly journals Race, Education Attainment, and Happiness in the United States

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Assari
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Education Attainment ◽  
Race And Education ◽  
The Us ◽  
Main Independent Variable ◽  
Independent Variable

Background and aims: As suggests by the Minorities’ Diminished Returns (MDR) theory, education attainment and other socioeconomic status (SES) indicators have a smaller impact on the health and well-being of non-White than White Americans. To test whether MDR also applies to happiness, in the present study, Blacks and Whites were compared in terms of the effect of education attainment on the level of happiness among American adults. Methods: General Social Survey (1972-2016) is a series of national surveys that are performed in the United States. The current analysis included 54785 adults (46724 Whites and 8061 Blacks). The years of schooling (i.e., education attainment) and happiness were the main independent variable and the main dependent variable of interest, respectively. In addition, other parameters such as gender, age, employment status, marital status, and the year of the survey were the covariates and race was the focal effect modifier. Finally, the logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. Results: Based on the results, high education attainment was associated with higher odds of happiness in the pooled sample. Further, a significant interaction was found between race and education attainment on the odds of happiness, showing a larger gain for Whites compared to Blacks. Racespecific models also confirmed this finding (i.e., a larger magnitude of the effect of education for Whites compared to Blacks). Conclusion: Overall, the MDR theory also applies to the effect of education attainment on happiness. Blacks’ disadvantage in comparison to the Whites in gaining happiness from their education may be due to the structural, institutional, and interpersonal racism and discrimination in the US. Therefore, there is a need for economic and public policies that can minimize the Blacks’ diminished returns of education attainment and other SES resources.

African Americans in the United States and African Studies

2002 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
Lisa Asili Aubrey
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African Americans ◽  
The United States ◽  
African Studies ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Intellectual Tradition ◽  
The Enlightenment ◽  
Pan Africanism ◽  
Bear Witness

That there is a strong historical intellectual tradition of African Americans studying Africa is news to some. That there remains a demand among African Americans in the United States to study Africa is also a surprise. That these ideas are challenging to some is ludicrous to others. For many African Americans in African studies, affirming our engagement with Africa over and over is not only a nuisance but also a waste of precious time and intellectual energy. After countless efforts, many African Americans have simply disengaged, refusing to have these futile conversations. Others bear witness in perpetuity to the defense of Black nationality and global Pan-Africanism for themselves, the race, and the enlightenment of disbelievers. Both groups act with calculated rationality, yet denials of African Americans’ interest in, engagement with, and effect on African studies abound. The denial within the community of scholars comes mostly from White Americans but also from continental Africans and other African Americans.

Appealing to Diverse Electorates in the United States

2019 ◽  
pp. 257-277
Author(s):  
David M. Searle ◽  
Marisa Abrajano
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Campaign Strategies ◽  
The World ◽  
Socialization Processes ◽  
Scant Attention

As electorates around the world become increasingly diverse, addressing how electoral persuasion emerges is a major concern. Focusing on the United States, this chapter explores the campaign strategies used by candidates to persuade, mobilize, and target diverse voters. It begins by conducting an exhaustive review of the existing research. After doing so, the chapter concludes that there is still much to be done and highlights particular aspects ripe for future research. In particular, scant attention has been paid to the ways candidates, political parties, and outside groups target African Americans and the extent to which they are persuaded or mobilized by these efforts. A similar need exists with respect to the campaign strategies used to target Asian Americans. Critically, it is important to know whether the electoral tactics, long proven effective for white Americans also work in the same way for voters with distinct political experiences and socialization processes. The remainder of the chapter offers future avenues and directions for scholars wishing to better understand how electoral persuasion operates in diverse electorates.

scholarly journals Colombians in the United States: A Study of Their Well-Being

10.18060/3795 ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cándida Madrigal
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ethnic Identity ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Political Refugees ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Policies And Programs

This study examined the extent to which four factors—acculturation, ethnic identity, self-esteem, and resilience—can explain the well-being of Colombian immigrants in the United States across three waves of immigration (wave 1, from 1945–1964; wave 2, from 1965–1989; and wave 3, from 1990–2008). The results indicate that of the four factors, self-esteem most correlated with and was a predictor of well-being. Participants exhibited high levels of well-being as their level of self-esteem increased. Ethnic identity negatively predicted well-being, especially for men who entered during wave 3; as the extent of their ethnic identity increased, their well-being decreased. Correspondingly, Colombians who entered as political refugees reported a lower level of well-being. This research was groundbreaking in assessing factors contributing to the well-being of Colombian immigrants and assisting in the search for appropriate scales to study this population. Although its results have to be considered with caution, the study opens doors to future research, policies, and programs regarding the mental health assessment and treatment of Colombians in the United States.

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