The Value of One: Tokenism and Policy Change

• In Event: The Psychology of Radicalized Political Engagement

Abstract

Can the presence of one person of color (the token) have a significant effect on public policy? Prior scholarship suggests the need of a critical mass of descriptive representatives to make significant policy change (Haider-Markel 2007; Brookman 2013). Further, that elected officials may behave differently than appointed officials due to their unique electoral constraints (Martinez-Ebers, Leal, and Meier 2003). This project seeks to retest these previous assertions with more data and over time. We argue that, in certain contexts, the appointment of a person of color to a policy making position can have a greater effect on political context and policy decisions than having multiple elected persons of color (Crowley 2011). We use pooled cross-sectional national survey data of public school boards from 2001 to 2016 to test this argument.

Broockman, David E. 2013. “Black politicians are more intrinsically motivated to advance blacks’ interests: A field experiment manipulating political incentives.” American Journal Of Political Science 57(3): 521–536.

Crowley, Jocelyn Elise. 2004. “When Tokens Matter.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 29(1): 109–136.

Haider-Markel, Donald P. 2007. “Representation and Backlash: The Positive and Negative Influence of Descriptive Representation.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 32(1): 107–133.

Leal, David L., Valerie Martinez-Ebers, and Kenneth J. Meier. 2004. “The Politics of Latino Education: The Biases of At-Large Elections.” The Journal Of Politics 66(4): 1224–1244.

Authors

• Valerie J. Martinez-Ebers, University of North Texas

• Andrea Silva, University of North Texas