American Sociological Review
Vol. 74, Issue 5, Pages 777-799
October 2009
Abstract
Decades of
racial progress have led some researchers and policymakers to doubt
that discrimination remains an important cause of economic inequality.
To study contemporary discrimination, we conducted a field experiment
in the low-wage labor market of New York City, recruiting white, black,
and Latino job applicants who were matched on demographic
characteristics and interpersonal skills. These applicants were given
equivalent résumés and sent to apply in tandem for hundreds of
entry-level jobs. Our results show that black applicants were half as
likely as equally qualified whites to receive a callback or job offer.
In fact, black and Latino applicants with clean backgrounds fared no
better than white applicants just released from prison. Additional
qualitative evidence from our applicants' experiences further
illustrates the multiple points at which employment trajectories can be
deflected by various forms of racial bias. These results point to the
subtle yet systematic forms of discrimination that continue to shape
employment opportunities for low-wage workers.
Citation
Western, Bruce. "Discrimination in a Low-Wage Labor Market: A Field Experiment." American Sociological Review 74.5 (October 2009): 777-799.