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Sameness and Segregation: The Effects of communication and competition on political participation among African-Americans |
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Abstract:
| The Effects of Racial Segregation on Political Participation
Some previous research on the contextual causes of individual political participation has argued that increasing community heterogeneity increases political participation; while other researchers have claimed the opposite: that increasing community homogeneity (decreasing heterogeneity) increases participation (for a summary of both, see Campbell (2006)). These theories use the different mechanisms of conflict and improved social networks which are thought to foster participation. On the one hand, conflict which is theorized to increase in a heterogeneous environment is thought to increase participation and, on the other hand, more efficient social networks which are more likely in a homogenous context are thought to do the same.
I argue that, in the case of race, these theories are not incompatible and in fact, are both correct if the level of aggregation by which heterogeneity is measured is properly specified. In fact, it seems that that the seemingly contradictory evidence has been a result of the researcher’s choice of the level of data aggregation. Using a model that combines contextual and individual level data and a measure of racial segregation rather than simply a measure of diversity, this paper demonstrates that both competition and communication increases turnout. Using data from the 1996 National Black Election Study, I demonstrate that, in the context of race, increasing homogeneity on a neighborhood level (the zip code as an approximation of a “neighborhood”, as in Gimpel, Lay, and Schuknect (2003)) increases participation; while racially segregating these neighborhoods within a larger community (Metropolitan Statistical Areas), also increases participation.
In using segregation as a causal variable, I argue that rather than simply using a measure of diversity, such as a Gini Index, segregation more accurately describes the mechanism that might cause the competition or conflict that leads to increased political participation. The important implication of this finding is that for racial minorities the social ill of racial segregation may be causally related to empowerment through increased political participation.
Using a hierarchical model this paper shows that racial homogeneity at the neighborhood level increases individual political participation; while segregating these neighborhoods within cities also increases participation. |
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Association:
Name: WESTERN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION
URL: http://www.csus.edu/ORG/WPSA/
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MLA Citation:
| Enos, Ryan. "Sameness and Segregation: The Effects of communication and competition on political participation among African-Americans" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the WESTERN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, La Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, Mar 08, 2007 <Not Available>. 2008-09-04 <http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p176371_index.html> |
APA Citation:
| Enos, R. D. (2007, Mar) "Sameness and Segregation: The Effects of communication and competition on political participation among African-Americans" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the WESTERN POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION, La Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada <Not Available>. 2008-09-04 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p176371_index.html |
Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: The Effects of Racial Segregation on Political Participation
Some previous research on the contextual causes of individual political participation has argued that increasing community heterogeneity increases political participation; while other researchers have claimed the opposite: that increasing community homogeneity (decreasing heterogeneity) increases participation (for a summary of both, see Campbell (2006)). These theories use the different mechanisms of conflict and improved social networks which are thought to foster participation. On the one hand, conflict which is theorized to increase in a heterogeneous environment is thought to increase participation and, on the other hand, more efficient social networks which are more likely in a homogenous context are thought to do the same.
I argue that, in the case of race, these theories are not incompatible and in fact, are both correct if the level of aggregation by which heterogeneity is measured is properly specified. In fact, it seems that that the seemingly contradictory evidence has been a result of the researcher’s choice of the level of data aggregation. Using a model that combines contextual and individual level data and a measure of racial segregation rather than simply a measure of diversity, this paper demonstrates that both competition and communication increases turnout. Using data from the 1996 National Black Election Study, I demonstrate that, in the context of race, increasing homogeneity on a neighborhood level (the zip code as an approximation of a “neighborhood”, as in Gimpel, Lay, and Schuknect (2003)) increases participation; while racially segregating these neighborhoods within a larger community (Metropolitan Statistical Areas), also increases participation.
In using segregation as a causal variable, I argue that rather than simply using a measure of diversity, such as a Gini Index, segregation more accurately describes the mechanism that might cause the competition or conflict that leads to increased political participation. The important implication of this finding is that for racial minorities the social ill of racial segregation may be causally related to empowerment through increased political participation.
Using a hierarchical model this paper shows that racial homogeneity at the neighborhood level increases individual political participation; while segregating these neighborhoods within cities also increases participation. |
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