Suchergebnisse

Neighborhoods differ greatly in security and attractiveness. It is generally believed that responsibility for the state of a community lies with its residents. But new research illustrates how external forces shape the fates of neighborhoods and their residents.

The effective stalemate over national labor law reform that began in the 1970s has prompted employer groups and organized labor to increasingly shift their attentions to legislation at the state and local levels. Unions and their allies have sought to enact, for example, laws that limit the use of public money for pro- and anti-union activities, laws providing card check recognition for certain groups of employees, and responsible contactor legislation. The author examines two of these types of laws: neutrality laws at the state level and labor peace agreements at the local level. In September 2000 California became the first state in the nation to enact a "state neutrality" law with effective enforcement mechanisms. Assembly Bill 1889 prohibits employers from using state money, received in the form of grants, loans, contracts or reimbursements, to promote or deter unionization. The author describes the background to the law, its provisions and impact, and employers' legal challenge to the law. California has also been at the forefront of promoting labor peace agreements at the city and county levels. The author examines these agreements, which require that employers sign labor peace agreements with unions as a condition of receiving financial assistance from the city or county. The chapter concludes with an examination of how recent state and local legislative developments are likely to influence the campaign for labor law reform at the federal level.

The United States is more diverse than ever before. Increased immigration has added to a vibrant cultural fabric, and women and minorities have made significant strides in overcoming overt discrimination. At the same time, economic inequality has increased significantly in recent decades, and the Great Recession substantially weakened the economic standing not only of the poor but also of the middle class. Diversity and Disparities, edited by sociologist John Logan, assembles impressive new studies that interpret the social and economic changes in the United States over the last decade. The authors, leading social scientists from many disciplines, analyze changes in the labor market, family structure, immigration, and race. They find that while America has grown more diverse, the opportunities available to disadvantaged groups have become more unequal. Drawing on detailed data from the decennial census, the American Community Survey, and other sources, the authors chart the growing diversity and the deepening disparities among different groups in the United States Harry J. Holzer and Marek Hlavac document that although the economy always rises and falls over the business cycle, the Great Recession of 2007-2009 was a catastrophic event that saw record levels of unemployment, especially among less-educated workers, young people, and minorities. Emily Rosenbaum shows how the Great Recession amplified disparities in access to home ownership, and demonstrates that young adults, especially African Americans, are falling behind previous cohorts not only in home ownership and wealth but even in starting their own families and households. Sean F. Reardon and Kendra Bischoff explore the rise of class segregation as higher-income Americans are moving away from others into separate and privileged neighborhoods and communities. Immigration has also seen class polarization, with an increase in both highly skilled workers and undocumented immigrants. As Frank D. Bean and his colleagues show, the lack of a path to legal status for undocumented immigrants inhibits the educational and economic opportunities for their children and grandchildren. Barrett Lee and colleagues demonstrate that the nation and most cities and towns are becoming more diverse by race and ethnicity. However, while black-white segregation is slowly falling, Hispanics and Asians remain as segregated today as they were in 1980. Diversity and Disparities raises concerns about the extent of socioeconomic i ...