Suchergebnisse

Drawn by low-skilled work and the safety and security of rural life, increasing numbers of families from Latin America and Southeast Asia have migrated to the American heartland. In the path-breaking book A Midwestern Mosaic, J. Celeste Lay examines the effects of political socialization on native white youth growing up in small towns. Lay studies five Iowa towns to investigate how the political attitudes and inclinations of native adolescents change as a result of rapid ethnic diversification. Using surveys and interviews, she discovers that native adolescents adapt very well to foreign-born c.

ObjectiveThis article examines the distinct processes of accommodation to immigrants in two similar small towns in Iowa. Ethnic conflict and contact theories predict that the processes would be similar in these towns, but their experiences demonstrate otherwise.MethodsThe study traces the histories of these towns and uses surveys, focus groups, and interviews to detail the process of accommodation in these communities.ResultsIn both towns, white/Anglo residents came to accommodate their new neighbors and accept immigrants as full members of their communities, but the processes were unique in each place. In one community, earlier exposure to a small group of Laotian refugees gave residents and officials valuable experience with diversity. Further, this town was pushed toward acceptance when an outside group spread falsehoods.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that adjusting to ethnic diversity is a long‐term process that is unique to a community's experience with diversity.

After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans eliminated default neighborhood schools and began to require parents to choose a school for their child. There are many new schools and a new enrollment process, making accurate and comprehensive information essential. Is one's information source related to satisfaction in their choices? Psychological theories suggest that more information may not always be better; people can be overwhelmed and actually make suboptimal choices. I show that a greater reliance on comprehensive sources is related to less confidence that one's child got into their top choice school, while those parents who use shortcuts, such as social networks and/or school advertising, are more satisfied that they made the right choice. Information sources are not, however, related to the likelihood of enrolling one's child in a high performing school. Rather, the school performance score is predicted by race and socioeconomic class.

Robert Putnam argumentou que a diversidade étnica está associada com o declínio do engajamento cívico porque, quando enfrentada a diversidade, a reação natural é de recuo à individualidade. Objetivos: Este artigo testa esta proposição analisando adolescentes em cidades pequenas que sofreram "rápida diversificação étnica". Imigrantes e refugiados da América Latina e do Sudeste da Ásia têm migrado para estas cidades pequenas e etnicamente homogêneas. Métodos: eu utilizo um estudo painel no qual adolescentes em escolas secundárias em cinco pequenas cidades foram entrevistados no início e final do ano acadêmico. Conclusões: Este artigo mostra pouca evidência de efeitos negativos duradouros da diversidade étnica no engajamento cívico. Na primeira onda, jovens de diversas cidades com níveis mais baixos de conhecimento político e confiança do que daqueles de cidades predominantemente brancas, mas eles também têm níveis mais altos de participação em atividades sociais escolares. No fim do ano estas diferenças foram diminuídas.

The 2006 New Orleans mayoral election provides a unique opportunity to examine the influence of a natural disaster on voting behavior. Theories of retrospective voting presume that voters will punish incumbents whose performance they deem unacceptable. To many Americans, Ray Nagin had done a poor job in handling Katrina. Theories of racial conflict and accommodation, however, contend that voters in urban elections base their choice primarily on racial group interests. This study shows that racial identity was a critical factor in vote choice. Although judgments of Nagin's performance were important, many voters placed greater responsibility on the federal government for the response.

Objective. Although political scientists studying the role of schools on political socialization have focused most of their efforts on curriculum, mainly civic education, education scholars have long recognized that schools influence outcomes through much more than curriculum and have examined school organization extensively, including school size. Much of the recent literature on school size supports smaller schools. The objective of this article is to examine the effect of school size on two political socialization outcomes: adolescent participation in school activities and volunteering. These outcomes are important because they are related to later adult participation.Method. A nationwide survey is used to conduct regression analyses as the primary method.Results. The results show limited support for smaller schools, even for those groups who are believed to benefit most significantly from small schools: racial minorities, low‐income students, and underachievers.Conclusion. I conclude with an appeal for caution among education reformers seeking to downsize schools and a recommendation to political socialization scholars to expand their analyses beyond civic education curriculum.

ObjectiveAlthough political scientists studying the role of schools on political socialization have focused most of their efforts on curriculum, mainly civic education, education scholars have long recognized that schools influence outcomes through much more than curriculum and have examined school organization extensively, including school size. Much of the recent literature on school size supports smaller schools. The objective of this article is to examine the effect of school size on two political socialization outcomes: adolescent participation in school activities and volunteering. These outcomes are important because they are related to later adult participation. MethodA nationwide survey is used to conduct regression analyses as the primary method. ResultsThe results show limited support for smaller schools, even for those groups who are believed to benefit most significantly from small schools: racial minorities, low-income students, and underachievers. Conclusion I conclude with an appeal for caution among education reformers seeking to downsize schools and a recommendation to political socialization scholars to expand their analyses beyond civic education curriculum. Adapted from the source document.

Many take for granted that children living in impoverished communities are disadvantaged on several social outcomes, including civic knowledge, because of their poverty and the circumstances that go along with this condition. However, most analyses of poor communities are conducted only in urban neighborhoods. In this article, the author examines the paradox of small-town life: On one hand, many rural areas and small towns are just as or even more impoverished than many urban neighborhoods; on the other hand, these same communities are praised as the most civically minded and politically knowledgeable places within the United States. How can two similarly poor community types produce such different outcomes? The author shows that the best explanation for these differences is the social interaction that characterizes small towns and rural areas. Political discussion within smaller towns is beneficial for adolescents'levels of political knowledge, whereas this discussion in urban areas is associated with lower levels of knowledge.