Studying Discrimination: Fundamental Challenges and Recent Progress

被引:74
作者
Charles, Kerwin Kofi [1 ,2 ]
Guryan, Jonathan [2 ,3 ]
机构
[1] Univ Chicago, Harris Sch, Chicago, IL 60637 USA
[2] NBER, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA
[3] Northwestern Univ, Inst Policy Res, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
来源
ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECONOMICS, VOL 3 | 2011年 / 3卷
关键词
statistical discrimination; taste-based discrimination; empirical tests; MOTOR-VEHICLE SEARCHES; RACIAL-DISCRIMINATION; RELATIVE EARNINGS; BLACK; EMPLOYMENT; WAGES; BIAS; PREJUDICE; ECONOMICS; DYNAMICS;
D O I
10.1146/annurev.economics.102308.124448
中图分类号
F [经济];
学科分类号
02 ;
摘要
We discuss research on discrimination against blacks and other racial minorities in labor market outcomes, highlighting fundamental challenges faced by empirical work in this area. Specifically, for work devoted to measuring whether and how much discrimination exists, we discuss how the absence of relevant data, the potential noncomparability of blacks and whites, and various conceptual concerns peculiar to race may frustrate or render impossible the application of empirical methods used in other areas of study. For work seeking to arbitrate empirically between the two main alternative theoretical explanations for such discrimination as it exists, we distinguish between indirect analyses, which do not directly study the variation in prejudice or the variation in information, the mechanisms at the heart of the two types of models we review, and direct analyses, which are more recent and much less common. We highlight problems with both approaches. Throughout, we discuss recent work, which, the various challenges notwithstanding, permits tentative conclusions about discrimination. We conclude by pointing to areas that might be fruitful avenues for future investigation.
引用
收藏
页码:479 / 511
页数:33
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