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Social Demography, continued

Social Demography, continued. Important Themes from Pollard and O’Hare Evidence of Persisting Inequality Reparations as a potential solution to black/white inequality. Pollard and O’Hare.

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Social Demography, continued

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  1. Social Demography, continued • Important Themes from Pollard and O’Hare • Evidence of Persisting Inequality • Reparations as a potential solution to black/white inequality

  2. Pollard and O’Hare • Minority groups have suffered and to some extent continue to suffer because of their racial and ethnic identity. ***Will they follow the path of European immigrant groups or never assimilate?

  3. Interracial Marriages and Multiracial Americans • Likely increase in the number of interracial Americans in the next century ****Will interracial Americans be considered a separate group for federal purposes (aff. action)? ****Will the increase in the number of interracial Americans mean that race will become less important in our society?

  4. Residential Segregation • Blacks experience the most residential segregation from whites, followed by Hispanics, with American Indians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders being the least segregated from whites. ***What are the relative roles of discrimination and housing preferences?

  5. 4. Persisting Inequality • 31% of whites have college degrees relative to 16% of African Americans and 46% of Asians. • 33% of whites have managerial and professional jobs relative to 20% of African Americans and 34% of Asians. • 1997 Median Household Income for Asians: $45T, whites: $41T, Blacks: $25T • Disparities in wealth, business ownership, and poverty

  6. Potential Solutions • Laissez faire: little government intervention • Existing government programs: progressive tax system, compensatory programs like Head Start, affirmative action • Reparations

  7. What are reparations? • Most advocates call for increased spending on compensatory educational programs, including, e.g. more funds for college scholarships. • Most advocates do not call for direct cash payments.

  8. What is the foundation for calling for reparations? • Most advocates do not argue that living Americans should feel responsible for slavery. • However, they argue that America owes a debt to its black citizens.

  9. Are there precedents? • Indian Claims Commission • Payments to Japanese who were interned during World War II

  10. African Americans were unjustly treated in the past. Compensatory efforts are needed to overcome past harms. We need a bold step to move beyond the current black/white divide How do we identify those who should be compensated? We should allow our economy to work this out over time, or we should help only the needy. We need to quit focusing on the black/divide and address real inequality. Pros and Cons

  11. Underlying Questions • Should we expect the socioeconomic gap between blacks and whites to disappear completely? Why or why not? • Can equality between African Americans and White Americans be achieved within our current political and economic system? • What explains persisting inequality?

  12. Consensus: Functional Theory of Inequality • Functions and Positions • Relative Importance to Society • Ability, Training, Motivation • Inequality is Inevitable: Racial?

  13. Conflict: Internal Colonial Model • Racial and Ethnic Groups Have Different Interests • Europeans Imposed Their Views on Internal Colonies • Current Situation: Coercion and Exclusion

  14. Summary • African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians continue to lag behind White and Asian Americans. • Sociologists and other observers have offered different and contradictory explanations • The solutions that one favors depends on ones views of the underlying causes.

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