Sharing America’s Neighborhoods: The Prospects for Stable Racial Integration

Front Cover
Harvard University Press, Jul 1, 2009 - Social Science - 238 pages

The first part of this book presents a fresh and encouraging report on the state of racial integration in America's neighborhoods. It shows that while the majority are indeed racially segregated, a substantial and growing number are integrated, and remain so for years.

Still, many integrated neighborhoods do unravel quickly, and the second part of the book explores the root causes. Instead of panic and "white flight" causing the rapid breakdown of racially integrated neighborhoods, the author argues, contemporary racial change is driven primarily by the decision of white households not to move into integrated neighborhoods when they are moving for reasons unrelated to race. Such "white avoidance" is largely based on the assumptions that integrated neighborhoods quickly become all black and that the quality of life in them declines as a result.

The author concludes that while this explanation may be less troubling than the more common focus on racial hatred and white flight, there is still a good case for modest government intervention to promote the stability of racially integrated neighborhoods. The final chapter offers some guidelines for policymakers to follow in crafting effective policies.

 

Contents

1 Introduction
1
2 The Extent and Stability of Racial Integration in the Contemporary United States
12
3 Toward a Theory of Racial Change
35
4 Correlates of Racial Stability
59
5 Racial Composition and Neighborhood Satisfaction
89
6 Race Neighborhood and the Decision to Move
104
7 Racial Composition and Neighborhood Choice
131
8 Conclusions and Policy Implications
152
Notes
179
References
195
Index
221
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Sharing America’s Neighborhoods: The Prospects for Stable Racial Integration
Ingrid Gould Ellen
Limited preview - 2000
Sharing America’s Neighborhoods: The Prospects for Stable Racial Integration
Ingrid Gould Ellen
Limited preview - 2000

Common terms and phrases

50 percent black African Americans analysis black households black neighborhoods black population black residents blacks and whites borhood census tracts chapter cial coefficient consider crime decade discrimination economic evidence factors Farley Galster growth Hispanics homes hood households living households with children housing market housing unit income instance integrated communities integrated tracts largely black Latinos less Massey Mattapan metropolitan area mixed areas Montgomery County move neigh neighbor neighborhood characteristics neighborhood quality neighborhood satisfaction neighborhood stereotyping hypothesis non-Hispanic white percentage points policies poverty rate predicted Prince Georges County proportion of blacks race race-based neighborhood stereotyping racial change racial composition racial preferences racial segregation racial stability racial transition racially integrated neighborhoods realtors regression renters Residential role sample significantly social stable Starrett City studies suburban suggest tion turnover Urban Urban Economics white avoidance white flight white homeowners white households white loss white neighborhoods white population white residents

About the author (2009)

Ingrid Gould Ellen is Assistant Professor, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University.

Bibliographic information

TitleSharing America’s Neighborhoods: The Prospects for Stable Racial Integration
AuthorIngrid Gould Ellen
PublisherHarvard University Press, 2009
ISBN0674036409, 9780674036406
Length238 pages
Subjects ›  › 

Political Science / Public Policy / General
Social Science / Demography
Social Science / Discrimination
Social Science / Race & Ethnic Relations
  
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