Evolving Race and/or Class Inequality in America: Corollaries, Consequences, and Other Considerations

Rodney Hero, a Raul Yzaguirre Chair and Professor in the department of Politics and Global Studies at ASU is presenting “Evolving Race and/or Class Inequality in America: Corollaries, Consequences, and Other Considerations“.

Enduring debates about the extent and major source(s) of social inequality in the U.S. typically focus on class or economic, versus race or racial dimensions, as leading explanations. This presentation will draw on various research projects and aspects thereof which I have studied (over a number of years), along with the research of others, to engage the debates. After presenting evidence on the evolving social composition of the U.S. population, the presentation will weave several together strands of research. These include (1) ‘faces of inequality’ in the public policy in the states of the U.S., as well as the racial ‘structure’ of economic inequality and its effects (b) how much and how presidents discuss (in)equality in their State of the Union messages, and (c) evidence on whether voters were motivated by their economic situation or racial threat status concerns in recent elections.  The presentation will conclude with an overall summary of the evidence and discussion of its implications.