Rodney E. Hero

Race and racial diversity are important aspects of America and have been shown to substantially affect social relations and the political system, often in ways inconsistent with the values of equality. However, greater civic association and a general sense of community, embodied in the concept of social capital, are said to have tremendous beneficial effects and profoundly influence American society. This 2007 study juxtaposes and critically assesses two bodies of research that have reached different conclusions on these issues. Is America's legacy of racial inequality an 'evil twin' of the benefits of social capital? By analysing the social outcomes for racial minorities, in addition to other dimensions of American politics, the author shows that the impact of racial diversity consistently outweighs that of social capital.

Equality and Community in America

Racial Diversity and Social Capital

Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh

Andrew L. Aoki

Ronald Schmidt

"The authors have done a commendable and impressive job of addressing a topic of long-lasting and increasing significance in U.S. politics." ---F. Chris Garcia, University of New Mexico "This is a path-breaking book that will be read across disciplines beyond political science." ---James Jennings, Tufts University Over the past four decades, the United States has experienced the largest influx of immigrants in its history. Not only has the ratio of European to non-European newcomers changed, but recent arrivals are coming from the Asian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, South America, and other regions which have not previously supplied many immigrants to the United States. In this timely study, a team of political scientists examines how the arrival of these newcomers has affected the efforts of long-standing minority groups---Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Pacific Americans---to gain equality through greater political representation and power. The authors predict that, for some time to come, the United States will function as a complex multiracial hierarchy, rather than as a genuine democracy. Ronald Schmidt, Sr. is Professor of Political Science at California State University, Long Beach. Yvette M. Alex-Assensoh is Associate Professor of Political Science and Dean of the Office for Women's Affairs (OWA) at Indiana University, Bloomington. Andrew L. Aoki is Professor of Political Science at Augsburg College. Rodney E. Hero is the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy at the University of Notre Dame.

Rodney E. Hero

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