Race Redistricting And Representation

Author : David T. Canon
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 339 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2020-07-17
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780226789088

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Race, Redistricting, and Representation by David T. Canon Pdf

Since the creation of minority-dominated congressional districts eight years ago, the Supreme Court has condemned the move as akin to "political apartheid," while many African-American leaders argue that such districts are required for authentic representation. In the most comprehensive treatment of the subject to date, David Canon shows that the unintended consequences of black majority districts actually contradict the common wisdom that whites will not be adequately represented in these areas. Not only do black candidates need white votes to win, but this crucial "swing" vote often decides the race. And, once elected, even the black members who appeal primarily to black voters usually do a better job than white members of walking the racial tightrope, balancing the needs of their diverse constituents. Ultimately, Canon contends, minority districting is good for the country as a whole. These districts not only give African Americans a greater voice in the political process, they promote a politics of commonality—a biracial politics—rather than a politics of difference.

Author : Christian R. Grose
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 49,7 Mb
Release : 2011-01-31
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781139497367

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Congress in Black and White by Christian R. Grose Pdf

The symbolic importance of Barack Obama's election is without question. But beyond symbolism, does the election of African-American politicians matter? Grose argues that it does and presents a unified theory of representation. Electing African-American legislators yields more federal dollars and congressional attention directed toward African-American voters. However, race and affirmative action gerrymandering have no impact on public policy passed in Congress. Grose is the first to examine a natural experiment and exceptional moment in history in which black legislators – especially in the U.S. South – represented districts with a majority of white constituents. This is the first systematic examination of the effect of a legislator's race above and beyond the effect of constituency racial characteristics. Grose offers policy prescriptions, including the suggestion that voting rights advocates, the courts, and redistricters draw 'black decisive districts', electorally competitive districts that are likely to elect African Americans.

Author : Kenny J. Whitby
Publisher : University of Michigan Press
Page : 204 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2000-12-21
Category : History
ISBN : 0472087029

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The Color of Representation by Kenny J. Whitby Pdf

Examines congressional responsiveness to the interests of citizens of color

Author : Georgia Anne Persons
Publisher : Transaction Publishers
Page : 348 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 1997-01-01
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 1412832640

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Race and Representation by Georgia Anne Persons Pdf

Race and Representation is anchored by a symposium that focuses on efforts to enhance representation of African Americans in legislative bodies under the authority of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965, and on recent court challenges to the constitutionality of redistricting plans drawn under that act. The chapters constitute an extension of an ongoing and protracted, highly charged, public debate. In her introduction, Georgia A. Persons discusses how recent Supreme Court rulings, such as in Shaw v. Reno, Miller v. Johnson, and Bush v. Vera, have significantly redefined the meaning and permissible parameters of the Voting Rights Act. The articles in Race and Representation are refreshingly informative. They include case studies written by political scientists who became involved directly with events surrounding the theme of this volume. A new section, "Reflections," is introduced; it will be reserved for commentary and analysis of an issue that captures the political spirit of the times. In the inaugural contribution, J. Owens Smith reflects on the assault on liberal philosophy as a foundation for civil rights claims and offers an alternative philosophical prism for viewing and justifying such claims. This volume is essential for political scientists, African-American studies specialists, and scholars interested in law and government.

Author : David Lublin
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 176 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2020-11-10
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780691221397

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The Paradox of Representation by David Lublin Pdf

In The Paradox of Representation David Lublin offers an unprecedented analysis of a vast range of rigorous, empirical evidence that exposes the central paradox of racial representation: Racial redistricting remains vital to the election of African Americans and Latinos but makes Congress less likely to adopt policies favored by blacks. Lublin's evidence, together with policy recommendations for improving minority representation, will make observers of the political scene reconsider the avenues to fair representation. Using data on all representatives elected to Congress between 1972 and 1994, Lublin examines the link between the racial composition of a congressional district and its representative's race as well as ideology. The author confirms the view that specially drawn districts must exist to ensure the election of African Americans and Latinos. He also shows, however, that a relatively small number of minorities in a district can lead to the election of a representative attentive to their interests. When African Americans and Latinos make up 40 percent of a district, according to Lublin's findings, they have a strong liberalizing influence on representatives of both parties; when they make up 55 percent, the district is almost certain to elect a minority representative. Lublin notes that particularly in the South, the practice of concentrating minority populations into a small number of districts decreases the liberal influence in the remaining areas. Thus, a handful of minority representatives, almost invariably Democrats, win elections, but so do a greater number of conservative Republicans. The author proposes that establishing a balance between majority-minority districts and districts where the minority population would be slightly more dispersed, making up 40 percent of a total district, would allow more African Americans to exercise more influence over their representatives.

Author : Georgia A. Persons
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 657 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2017-09-04
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781351495097

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Race and Representation by Georgia A. Persons Pdf

The National Political Science Review is the official publication of the National Conference of Black Political Scientists. This series, now entering its sixth volume, includes significant scholarly research reflecting the diverse interests of scholars from various backgrounds who use different models, approaches, and methodologies. The central focus is on politics and policies that advantage or disadvantage groups because of race, ethnicity, gender, and other major variables.Race and Representation is anchored by a symposium that focuses on efforts to enhance representation of African Americans in legislative bodies under the authority of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965, and on recent court challenges to the constitutionality of redistricting plans drawn under that act. The chapters constitute an extension of an ongoing and protracted, highly charged, public debate. In her introduction, Georgia A. Persons discusses how recent Supreme Court rulings, such as in Shaw v. Reno, Miller v. Johnson, and Bush v. Vera, have significantly redefined the meaning and permissible parameters of the Voting Rights Act. She affirms that they have also strongly posited, albeit somewhat indirectly, a legal meaning of representation that is at variance with the more broadly philosophical meaning of representation grounded in the ideal of enhancing equality among different groups in a society.The articles in Race and Representation are refreshingly informative. They include case studies written by political scientists who became involved directly with events surrounding the theme of this volume. A new section, 'Reflections,' is introduced; it will be reserved for commentary and analysis of an issue that captures the political spirit of the times. In the inaugural contribution, J. Owens Smith reflects on the assault on liberal philosophy as a foundation for civil rights claims and offers an alternative philosophical prism for viewing and justifying such claims. This volume is essen

Author : Bernard Grofman
Publisher : Algora Publishing
Page : 842 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Law
ISBN : 9780875862651

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Race and Redistricting in the 1990s by Bernard Grofman Pdf

A portrait of how the 1990s round of redistricting treated the racial and linguistic minorities that had been given special protections by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, primarily African-Americans, but also Native Americans, Asian-Americans, and those of Spanish heritage. Throughout the volume, the primary focus is on the practical politics of redistricting and its consequences for racial representation. Almost all the authors have been directly involved in the 1990s redistricting process either as a legislator, a member of the Voting Rights Section of the Justice Department, a member of a districting commission, or, most commonly, as an expert witness or lawyer in voting rights cases. All bring to bear special insights as well as insider knowledge of Congressional and state redistricting.

Author : Thomas Brunell
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 158 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2010-04-02
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781135925215

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Redistricting and Representation by Thomas Brunell Pdf

Pundits have observed that if so many incumbents are returned to Congress to each election by such wide margins, perhaps we should look for ways to increase competitiveness – a centerpiece to the American way of life – through redistricting. Do competitive elections increase voter satisfaction? How does voting for a losing candidate affect voters’ attitudes toward government? The not-so-surprising conclusion is that losing voters are less satisfied with Congress and their Representative, but the implications for the way in which we draw congressional and state legislative districts are less straightforward. Redistricting and Representation argues that competition in general elections is not the sine qua non of healthy democracy, and that it in fact contributes to the low levels of approval of Congress and its members. Brunell makes the case for a radical departure from traditional approaches to redistricting – arguing that we need to "pack" districts with as many like-minded partisans as possible, maximizing the number of winning voters, not losers.

Author : Maurice T. Cunningham
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2000-10-30
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780313000652

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Maximization, Whatever the Cost by Maurice T. Cunningham Pdf

During the early 1990s the Department of Justice used its Voting Rights Act power to object to racially unfair redistricting laws to force states to maximize minority congressional districts. The results were dramatic: Congressional Black Caucus membership swelled from 25 to 38 and nine new Hispanic congresspersons were sworn in. Only three years later, the maximization strategy lay in ruins. The courts forced many of the new minority districts to be redrawn and the judiciary reserved especially harsh criticism for the Department. Cunningham examines and analyzes how the Department came to adopt the maximization strategy. He explores the bureaucratic culture of the Division's Voting Section, its history, and the interaction of its progressive career staff with more conservative political appointees. The Division works amidst a vibrant interest group environment, with civil rights advocates, the state, and political parties eager for influence. Cunningham shows how that influence contest was won by the civil rights groups, how their preferred interpretations of fair redistricting and discriminatory purpose were adopted by the Division, and how their chosen districting models were forced upon states by the Division. He examines the effect the Department has had on federalism, representation, and its own impaired credibility with the judiciary. Finally, he suggests how the Division might resurrect its damaged reputation for balanced enforcement. An important study for scholars, students, and public policy makers involved with civil rights, public administration, and public law.

Author : Claudine Gay
Publisher : Public Policy Instit. of CA
Page : 114 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : African Americans
ISBN : 9781582130309

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The Effect of Minority Districts and Minority Representation on Political Participation in California by Claudine Gay Pdf

Author : Tinsley E. Yarbrough
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 248 pages
File Size : 52,5 Mb
Release : 2002
Category : History
ISBN : UOM:39015055910247

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Race and Redistricting by Tinsley E. Yarbrough Pdf

Through much of the 1990s, a newly hatched snake wreaked political havoc in the South. When North Carolina gained a seat in Congress following the 1990 census, it sought to rectify a long-standing failure to represent African American voters by creating, under federal pressure, two "majority-minority" voting districts. One of these snaked along Interstate 85 for nearly two hundred miles—not much wider than the road itself in some places—and was ridiculed by many as one of the least compact legislative districts ever proposed. From 1993 to 2001, three intertwined cases went before the Supreme Court that decided how far a state could go in establishing voting districts along racial lines. Noted Supreme Court biographer Tinsley Yarbrough examines these closely linked landmark cases to show how the Court addressed the constitutionality of redistricting within the volatile contexts of civil rights and partisan politics. A suit was first filed by Duke University law professor Robinson Everett, a liberal who loathed discrimination but considered racially motivated redistricting a clear violation of the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. Yarbrough tells how Everett enlisted associates as plaintiffs and went on to win two Supreme Court victories in Shaw v. Reno (1993) and Shaw v. Hunt (1996)—both by 5-4 decisions. Following the creation of another "flawed" redistricting plan, he rounded up a new set of plaintiffs to take the battle back to the Supreme Court. But this time, in Easley v. Cromartie—on the swing vote of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor—the 5-4 vote went against him. Yarbrough shows the significant impact these cases have had on election law and the fascinating interplay of law, politics, and human conflict that the dispute generated. Drawing heavily on court records and on interviews with attorneys on both sides of the litigation, he relates a complex and intriguing tale about these protracted struggles. His cogent and balanced analysis considers whether the state legislature was wrong in using race as a measure for establishing the new district, or whether it was simply engaging in the time-honored practice of gerrymandering to ensure political balance. Race and Redistricting spotlights efforts to "racially engineer" voting districts in an effort to achieve fair representation. By examining one state's efforts to confront such dilemmas, it helps readers better understand future disputes over race and politics, as well as the ongoing debates over our "color-blind" constitution.

Author : Jack S. Levy,William R. Thompson
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2011-09-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781444357097

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Causes of War by Jack S. Levy,William R. Thompson Pdf

Written by leading scholars in the field, Causes of War provides the first comprehensive analysis of the leading theories relating to the origins of both interstate and civil wars. Utilizes historical examples to illustrate individual theories throughout Includes an analysis of theories of civil wars as well as interstate wars -- one of the only texts to do both Written by two former International Studies Association Presidents

Author : Michael D. Minta
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 183 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2021-07-12
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780226765303

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No Longer Outsiders by Michael D. Minta Pdf

"How effective are civil rights organizations in lobbying Congress? They lack the resources of wealthier business-funded lobbying groups. And yet, these groups have been able to influence Congress in order to pass legislation and pressure agencies in the service of minority communities. In No Longer Outsiders: Black and Latino Interest Group Advocacy on Capitol Hill, Michael D. Minta explores the ways that civil rights groups representing a range of racial and ethnic minorities achieve success in Congress. Minta shows how increasing diversity in the House of Representatives plays an important role in the success of civil rights organizations. These organizations gain power and respect in part because they indeed represent the interests and views of their minority groups. The organizations from different ethnic and racial groups successfully cooperate on legislation and work closely with groups like the Congressional Black and Latino Caucuses to get a place at the legislative table"--

Author : David Daley
Publisher : National Geographic Books
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2017-07-04
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781631493218

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Ratf**ked by David Daley Pdf

David Daley’s “extraordinarily timely” (New York Times Book Review) account uncovers the fundamental rigging of our House of Representatives and state legislatures nationwide. Lauded as a “compelling” (The New Yorker) and “eye-opening tour of a process that many Americans never see” (Washington Post), David Daley’s Ratf**ked documents the effort of Republican legislators and political operatives to hack American democracy through an audacious redistricting plan called REDMAP. Since the revolutionary election of Barack Obama, a group of GOP strategists has devised a way to flood state races with a gold rush of dark money, made possible by Citizens United, in order to completely reshape Congress—and our democracy itself. “Sobering and convincing” (New York Review of Books), Ratf**ked shows how this program has radically altered America’s electoral map and created a firewall in the House, insulating the Republican party and its wealthy donors from popular democracy. While exhausted voters recover from a grueling presidential election, a new Afterword from the author explores the latest intense efforts by both parties, who are already preparing for the next redistricting cycle in 2020.

Author : Peter F. Burns
Publisher : SUNY Press
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2006-06-01
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 079146654X

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Electoral Politics Is Not Enough by Peter F. Burns Pdf

Examines how and why government leaders understand and respond to African Americans and Latinos in northeastern cities with strong political traditions.