Gender and Race/Ethnic Participation

Political Science 61 / Chicano/Latino Studies 64

November 15, 2007

First, Though

Making this all a bit more tangible:minority influence in the 2008 elections

Note that these are anticipation more than analysis

Early Thoughts About Minority Politics in

2008 What’s new?

Barack Obama and Bill Richardson Centrality of immigration to early politicking

Near unity of restrictionist positions articulated by leading Republicans

Public records of Democrats in support of “comprehensive” reform

What could be new (and important)? Newly naturalized citizens mobilized by

immigration debate/2006 marches Shift in primary calendar (if race goes beyond

Iowa and New Hampshire)

Patterns that Reduce the Salience of Minority

Votes Race will come down to a few states (usually

not minority states) Latinos important – Florida, New Mexico, Colorado,

Nevada, and Arizona Blacks important – Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, and

Virginia States with largest minority populations not

competitive High costs of race suggest “air war” model

Investment in get-out-the-vote / mobilization will only appear in most competitive states

Candidates will invest in turning out routine voters

Other Opportunities Lots of turn-over in the House and Senate

Will open two congressional seats in New Mexico that could elect Latinos

Parties will invest extensively in state legislative races Preparing for post-2010 Census redistricting More opportunities for new minority

officeholders than at national level Could serve as an incentive to investment in

mobilization

Today’s Class

Gender and Race/Ethnic Participation

General Patterns We’ve Seen (Not Gender Specific)1. Consistent participation differences

between Whites, Blacks, and Latinos2. Latinos and Asian Americans less likely

to engage in electoral politics Non-U.S. citizenship explains some of the

gap

3. Lower levels of political socialization in Latino and Asian American households

Lower rates of socialization among Latinas Civic skills used in church activity

Does Gender Add to the Story?

1. Naturalization2. Participation

Women and Naturalization

Women more likely than comparably situated men to naturalize Women recognize more quickly than men that life

to be spent in U.S. Less nostalgic about life in country of origin

Why? Immigration generally expands opportunities for

women from traditional societies Naturalization seen as resource to protect children Women’s job experiences more likely to provide

skills needed in naturalization application process

Participation

Skills Developed in Activities, by

Race/Ethnicity & Gender

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

Anglo Black Latino

MenWomen

Mean Number Political Acts, By Race/Ethnicity & Gender From

0-4)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

Anglos Blacks Latinos

MenWomen

Skills and Political Acts Just Tell Part of the Story

In presidential elections, women register and vote at higher rates than men Part of the “gender gap”

What other characteristics drive political engagement? Efficacy (sense that you can have influence) Interest (degree to which you are aware) Information (confidence that you understand) Group consciousness (connection to others) Representation (desire to have one’s voice

reflected in politics)

Voter Turnout, by Gender, 2004

White Latino Black Asian America

n

Men 64.1% 44.8% 55.8% 42.0%

Women 66.7% 49.4% 63.4% 46.2%

Note: Voter turnout among U.S. citizen adults

Is There a “Women’s” Sphere in Race/Ethnic

Politics? Maybe

Schools/family issues generate a separate sphere that can be politicized

Mothers of East Los Angeles Parent associations are a form of civic

engagement that can be politicized White women may be more engaged in

non-political and charity work Latinas give more time to charity

What Differentiates Participation—Black

Women? Relative to White men

Resources Church Experience of race/ethnic bias

Disadvantages Education Job skills Income

What Differentiates Participation—Latinas?

Resources (relative to White men) Experience of race/ethnic bias

Disadvantages Political socialization Education Skills learned in school Skills learned on job Income Skills learned through organizations Skills developed in churches

Issues that Drive Participation, By

Race/Ethnicity & Gender Latinas

1. Education2. Basic human needs3. Crime/drugs

Black women1. Crime/drugs2. Education3. Basic human needs

White women1. Education2. Abortion3. Taxes

Latino men1. Crime/drugs2. Basic human needs3. Education

Black men1. Crime/drugs2. Basic human needs3. Education

White men1. Taxes2. Education3. Economic issues

Gender and Race, Do They Come into

Conflict?

Black Females

Black Males

White Females

White Males

Black Female v. Black Male

78% 60% 67% 61%

Black Female v. White Male

85% 81% 68% 62%

Black Female v. White Female

82% 84% 63% 53%

Mean Support for Black Female Candidate

Source: Philpot and Walton 2007

In Sum, Gender shapes participation, but

inconsistently across race/ethnic groups Issues have mobilized white women in

electoral politics Black women connected through

organizations, but also through a sense of Black consciousness

Latinas focused on a more targeted agenda Overall, gap between Latinas and Latinos

(or Latinas and white men) the largest

Assignment & Question for Next Time

Assignment – Bring a thesis statement for Essay 2 to class

Question – Please note that the focus of this chapter is wealth (the sum all things an individual or family has that have a monetary value) not incomeWhat accounts for the wealth differences between whites and blacks?