Hometown Inequality
Race, Class, and Representation in American Local Politics

Using big data, this book reveals stark racial and class inequalities in representation in local governments across the United States.

Brian F. Schaffner (Author), Jesse H. Rhodes (Author), Raymond J. La Raja (Author)

9781108485944, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 9 July 2020

272 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2 cm, 0.5 kg

'Hometown Inequality provides an authoritative assessment of representational inequalities in local governments. It finds that local governments do not adequately represent the poor and racial minorities. It also raises a number of ideas to rejuvenate local democracy. This book should be required reading for anyone interested in democratic politics in the United States and how we can make it work better.' Christopher Warshaw, Department of Political Science, George Washington University

Local governments play a central role in American democracy, providing essential services such as policing, water, and sanitation. Moreover, Americans express great confidence in their municipal governments. But is this confidence warranted? Using big data and a representative sample of American communities, this book provides the first systematic examination of racial and class inequalities in local politics. We find that non-whites and less-affluent residents are consistent losers in local democracy. Residents of color and those with lower incomes receive less representation from local elected officials than do whites and the affluent. Additionally, they are much less likely than privileged community members to have their preferences reflected in local government policy. Contrary to the popular assumption that governments that are “closest” govern best, we find that inequalities in representation are most severe in suburbs and small towns. Typical reforms do not seem to improve the situation, and we recommend new approaches.

1. Race, class, and representation in local government
2. Studying inequality in representation in local government: a new approach
3. Municipal politics as sites of racial and class contention
4. Local political participation, municipal elections, and the prospects for representation in local government
5. Racial inequality in representation on municipal councils and in policy
6. Predictors of racial inequality in representation
7. Economic inequality in representation on municipal councils and in policy
8. Predictors of economic inequality in representation
9. Race, class, and representation in local politics
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Politics & government [JP], Ethnic minorities & multicultural studies [JFSL1]