Hometown Inequality: Race, Class, and Representation in American Local Politics

The Nile on eBay   Hometown Inequality by Brian F. Schaffner, Jesse H. Rhodes, Raymond J. La Raja

Americans express great confidence in local government. But is this confidence warranted? Using big data, this book examines racial and class inequalities in representation across US municipalities. We find that non-whites and less-affluent residents are consistent losers in local democracy. We suggest revisions to reforms to enhance political equality.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Local governments play a central role in American democracy, providing essential services such as policing, water, and sanitation. Moreover, Americans express great confidence in their municipal governments. But is this confidence warranted? Using big data and a representative sample of American communities, this book provides the first systematic examination of racial and class inequalities in local politics. We find that non-whites and less-affluent residents are consistent losers in local democracy. Residents of color and those with lower incomes receive less representation from local elected officials than do whites and the affluent. Additionally, they are much less likely than privileged community members to have their preferences reflected in local government policy. Contrary to the popular assumption that governments that are "closest" govern best, we find that inequalities in representation are most severe in suburbs and small towns. Typical reforms do not seem to improve the situation, and we recommend new approaches.

Author Biography

Brian F. Schaffner is the Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies at Tufts University. He is co-author Campaign Finance and Political Polarization: When Purists Prevail, which was the winner of the 2016 Virginia Gray Best Book Award. He is also co-editor of Winning with Words: The Origins & Impact of Political Framing and co-author of Understanding Political Science Research Methods: The Challenge of Inference. His research has appeared in more than 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and has received over $2 million in external grant funding. Jesse H. Rhodes is Professor of Political Science and Department Chair at University of University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Associate Director of the UMass Poll. His research focuses on struggles over policy development and the consequences of these battles for politics and citizenship. He is the author of An Education in Politics: The Origin and Development of No Child Left Behind and Ballot Blocked: The Political Erosion of the Voting Rights Act, along with more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles. Raymond J. La Raja is Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Associate Director of the UMass Poll. His research focuses on political parties, political participation, and campaign finance. He is co-author of Campaign Finance and Political Polarization: When Purists Prevail, winner of the 2016 Virginia Gray Best Book Award, and a co-author on policy reports from the Brookings Institution. He is founding editor of The Forum, a journal on American politics, and past President of the Political Organizations and Parties section of the American Political Science Association.

Table of Contents

1. Race, class, and representation in local government; 2. Studying inequality in representation in local government: a new approach; 3. Municipal politics as sites of racial and class contention; 4. Local political participation, municipal elections, and the prospects for representation in local government; 5. Racial inequality in representation on municipal councils and in policy; 6. Predictors of racial inequality in representation; 7. Economic inequality in representation on municipal councils and in policy; 8. Predictors of economic inequality in representation; 9. Race, class, and representation in local politics; Bibliography; Index.

Review

'This book is a powerhouse. It revises what we know about American politics using sweeping data, clear theoretical predictions, and careful conclusions. In page after page, Schaffner, Rhodes, and La Raja demonstrate deep racial inequities in local political ideologies, local political representation, and local policy outcomes. Their work will undoubtedly play a starring role in the renaissance of scholarship on cities.' Jessica Trounstine, Professor of Political Science, University of California, Merced'Citizens in the United States elect hundreds of thousands of local officials across nearly 90,000 local governments. Hometown Inequality seeks to understand how well these officials represent their constituents and whether they represent economic and racial groups differently. To do this, Schaffner, Rhodes, and La Raja combine data from a staggering 260 million adults with ideological and policy data from over a thousand towns and cities. The result is a highly innovative and engaging book that will greatly advance the conversation about representation in the US.' Peter K. Enns, Department of Government, Cornell University'Hometown Inequality provides an authoritative assessment of representational inequalities in local governments. It finds that local governments do not adequately represent the poor and racial minorities. It also raises a number of ideas to rejuvenate local democracy. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in democratic politics in the United States and how we can make it work better.' Christopher Warshaw, Department of Political Science, George Washington University

Promotional

Using big data, this book reveals stark racial and class inequalities in representation in local governments across the United States.

Review Quote

'Citizens in the United States elect hundreds of thousands of local officials across nearly 90,000 local governments. Hometown Inequality seeks to understand how well these officials represent their constituents and whether they represent economic and racial groups differently. To do this, Schaffner, Rhodes, and La Raja combine data from a staggering 260 million adults with ideological and policy data from over a thousand towns and cities. The result is a highly innovative and engaging book that will greatly advance the conversation about representation in the US.' Peter K. Enns, Department of Government, Cornell University

Promotional "Headline"

Using big data, this book reveals stark racial and class inequalities in representation in local governments across the United States.

Description for Bookstore

Americans express great confidence in local government. But is this confidence warranted? Using big data, this book examines racial and class inequalities in representation across US municipalities. We find that non-whites and less-affluent residents are consistent losers in local democracy. We suggest revisions to reforms to enhance political equality.

Description for Library

Americans express great confidence in local government. But is this confidence warranted? Using big data, this book examines racial and class inequalities in representation across US municipalities. We find that non-whites and less-affluent residents are consistent losers in local democracy. We suggest revisions to reforms to enhance political equality.

Details ISBN1108725376 Year 2020 ISBN-10 1108725376 ISBN-13 9781108725378 Format Paperback Short Title Hometown Inequality Language English Subtitle Race, Class, and Representation in American Local Politics Publisher Cambridge University Press Author Raymond J. La Raja Publication Date 2020-07-09 DEWEY 320.80973 UK Release Date 2020-07-09 Imprint Cambridge University Press Place of Publication Cambridge Country of Publication United Kingdom AU Release Date 2020-07-09 NZ Release Date 2020-07-09 Pages 272 Alternative 9781108485944 Illustrations Worked examples or Exercises Audience Professional & Vocational We've got this

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