The Politics of Skin Color

• In Event: Poster Session: Public Opinion & Ideas, Knowledge and Politics
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Public Opinion

Abstract

Heterogeneity in skin color is linked to significant differences in life experiences within and across racial groups. For example, darker-skinned African Americans have worse health outcomes, lower incomes, less education, lower rates of marriage, and even receive harsher criminal sentencing than lighter-skinned blacks. Within political science, the focus on racial groups as largely homogenous entities has overlooked potentially important heterogeneity within groups based on skin color and gender. Drawing evidence from the 2012 American National Election Study, two online surveys, and semi-structured qualitative interviews, I find that skin tone is indeed politically and socially meaningful. This paper will discuss the relationship between skin color, stereotypes, and politics highlighted across all three methods of data collection. The goal of this line of research is to explore how skin color informs social and political judgments, as well as feelings of efficacy and marginalization from the political system. This work not only offers important implications for scholars and policymakers alike, but also has implications extending across racial groups.

Author

• Nicole Yadon, University of Michigan