Social Psychology Dynamics in the Political Arena
Has America moved past Affirmative Action with the election of a Black President?
"Black Employment in Municipal Jobs: The Impact of Black Political Power" by Peter K. Eisinger explores levels of black employment in 43 U.S. cities as they relate to four variables: the size of the local black population, the presence of a black mayor, the expansion or contraction of the local public sector, and the level of education of the local black labor pool. Eisinger found that the size of the local black population most affected levels of black employment in the public sector, and argues that a partial reason for this circumstance...
The second most influential factor affecting black employment levels is the presence of a black mayor. The expansion of the local public sector appears to facilitate black employment at "some very modest level," while level of education of the local black labor pool appears to have no affect on black employment. These findings, Eisinger implies, suggest that city governments do in fact have the power to influence the economic well-being of minorities.
"White Residents, Black Incumbants, and a Declining Racial Divide" by Zoltan L. Hajnal studies the effects of the…
