The extent of occupational segregation in the US: Differences by race, ethnicity, and gender (original) (raw)
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2020
In this article, we examine changes in the types of occupations that members of various racial/ethnic-gender groups have entered. We are interested in two trends that we believe may have contributed to differences in occupational concentration: budget reductions and policy changes in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforcement procedures, and the continuing increases in women's educational attainment. Using whites, African Americans, and Hispanics in our analysis, we evaluate race and ethnic differences by gender, and gender differences by race and ethnicity; thus, we pay particular attention to the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender in these processes. Our results suggest that white men have maintained their advantage in the occupational hierarchy in the period under investigation, and that white women have made more progress than any other group. For women,
The Intersection of Race/Ethnicity and Gender in Occupational Segregation
International Journal of Sociology, 2010
In this article, we examine changes in the types of occupations that members of various racial/ethnic-gender groups have entered. We are interested in two trends that we believe may have contributed to differences in occupational concentration: budget reductions and policy changes in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforcement procedures, and the continuing increases in women's educational attainment. Using whites, African Americans, and Hispanics in our analysis, we evaluate race and ethnic differences by gender, and gender differences by race and ethnicity; thus, we pay particular attention to the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender in these processes. Our results suggest that white men have maintained their advantage in the occupational hierarchy in the period under investigation, and that white women have made more progress than any other group. For women,
The impact of changes in local labor market conditions on estimates of occupational segregation
The Review of Black Political Economy, 1992
Recent work by labor economists has suggested that differential labor market treatment of minorities (e.g., occupational segregation) may vary across local labor markets. This study assesses whether changing economic conditions in a local labor market affects the degree of occupational segregation by race and gender in the United States. Our empirical analysis finds evidence that the relative occupational structures of white women and black males are systematically related to changes in certain local labor market conditions.
THE EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL GENDER SEGREGATION ACROSS RACE
Sociological Quarterly, 2002
The general relationship between occupational gender segregation and earnings inequality is well documented, although few studies have examined the relationship separately by raceiethnicity. This article investigates occupational gender segregation effects across whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. In addition, we explore two ways in which segregation may affect earnings: (1) by lowering the earnings of workers in female-dominated occupations and (2) by lowering the earnings of all workers in highly segregated labor markets. Our central findings are that both segregation effects contribute to earnings inequality and that the effects are observed quite broadly across racialiethnic groups, although they particularly impact the carnings of African American women.
Coming Together? Trends in Black-White Occupational Segregation, 1980 to 2009
2014
Occupational segregation, the differential distribution of groups of workers across occupations, provides one of the most important mechanisms for creating, maintaining and legitimating social inequality. In this study I examine trends in occupational race segregation from 1980 through 2009/2010 and use fixed-effects regression analysis to assess how changes in occupational characteristics such as earnings, benefits and demographic composition are associated with changes in the representation of black men and women. My findings show that after 1980 trends toward racial occupational integration slowed and after 2000 may have began to reverse. Race and sex continue to be important for understanding the occupational distributions of black and white workers as black workers are disadvantaged relative to white workers and black men are especially disadvantaged.
Segregated jobs or ethnic niches?
Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 2007
Using data from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality (MCSUI), this study examines the extent to which the racial or ethnic composition of jobs affects racial and ethnic-linked earnings inequalities among whites, blacks and Hispanics. Four types of jobs are distinguished according to the racial/ethnic composition of jobs in work establishments: predominantly white, multi-racial or mixed, predominantly black, and predominantly Hispanic. We found considerable differences among the four types of jobs. Jobs composed predominantly of white workers are characterized by the highest earnings, the highest status occupations, and the highest levels of education. In contrast, jobs predominantly composed of Hispanic workers are characterized by the lowest salaries, the lowest status occupations, and the lowest levels of education. The data analysis supports the hypothesis that job segregation is responsible for earnings disparities in the case of blacks versus whites, but only partial support for this hypothesis is found in the case of Hispanics versus whites. The analysis also provides support for the "devaluation hypothesis" which suggests that all workers experience pay penalties in jobs in which minority workers are predominant. Further analysis reveals that had most workers been rewarded like whites employed in predominantly white jobs, their earnings would have increased considerably. The only groups of workers who "benefit" from job segregation are Hispanic workers employed in predominately Hispanic jobs. In the absence of competition with others, Hispanics employed in predominantly Hispanic jobs earn more than they would earn in other jobs. The differential effects of the ethnic composition of jobs on economic outcomes of minority populations are evaluated and discussed in light of the roles played by sheltered and protected ethnic economies.
Racial Composition and Occupational Segregation and Inequality across American Cities* 1
Social Science …, 2000
The major purpose of the present research is to estimate and compare several measures of race-occupational differentiation across American cities and to examine their relationships to structural and compositional characteristics of cities, especially to the size of the Black population. Using the 1990 PUMS for American cities (MSAs), we estimated measures of nominal segregation and ordinal inequality that were used in past research. The measures used in our analysis include the index of dissimilarity, size standardized index of dissimilarity, index of net differences, and the ratio index that was proposed recently in the literature. The findings reveal considerable differences between the standardized and unstandardized measures. The meaning of the findings and their implications for theoretical conclusions are discussed.
Segregated Jobs or Ethnic Niches? The Impact of Racialized Employment on Earnings Inequality
Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 2007
Using data from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality (MCSUI), this study examines the extent to which the racial or ethnic composition of jobs affects racial and ethnic-linked earnings inequalities among whites, blacks and Hispanics. Four types of jobs are distinguished according to the racial/ethnic composition of jobs in work establishments: predominantly white, multi-racial or mixed, predominantly black, and predominantly Hispanic. We found considerable differences among the four types of jobs. Jobs composed predominantly of white workers are characterized by the highest earnings, the highest status occupations, and the highest levels of education. In contrast, jobs predominantly composed of Hispanic workers are characterized by the lowest salaries, the lowest status occupations, and the lowest levels of education. The data analysis supports the hypothesis that job segregation is responsible for earnings disparities in the case of blacks versus whites, but only partial support for this hypothesis is found in the case of Hispanics versus whites. The analysis also provides support for the “devaluation hypothesis” which suggests that all workers experience pay penalties in jobs in which minority workers are predominant. Further analysis reveals that had most workers been rewarded like whites employed in predominantly white jobs, their earnings would have increased considerably. The only groups of workers who “benefit” from job segregation are Hispanic workers employed in predominately Hispanic jobs. In the absence of competition with others, Hispanics employed in predominantly Hispanic jobs earn more than they would earn in other jobs. The differential effects of the ethnic composition of jobs on economic outcomes of minority populations are evaluated and discussed in light of the roles played by sheltered and protected ethnic economies.
Feminist Economics, 1998
* Significant at the 5 percent level on a two tailed test. ** Significant at the 1 percent level on a two tailed test. Notes: Standard errors are in parentheses. Number of observations (occupations) is 470. Regressions are weighted by the square root of cell size in the initial year. The omitted occupation category is operative, laborer, and farm occupations. Equations are estimated by Seemingly Unrelated Regressions (SUR) techniques.