Race, inequality, and social capital in the U.S. counties

Authors

Mi-Son Kim, The University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Dongkyu Kim, University of Texas Rio Grande ValleyFollow
Natasha Altema McNeely, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-9-2020

Abstract

This study examines how the interplay between racial diversity and economic inequality affects variations of social capital in the U.S. counties. In general, racial and economic heterogeneity is assumed to provide a negative environment for the growth of social capital. Building on this, we argue the effect of economic inequality is weaker than that of racial diversity because increased economic heterogeneity is felt less visibly and acutely than racial heterogeneity. Moreover, economic inequality can positively condition the adverse impact of racial diversity on social capital when the two interact. Based on the crosscutting cleavages theory, income inequality in a racially fragmented community works as an additional cleavage that crosscuts the different racial groups, mitigating the negative impact of racial diversity on social capital. The data analysis of 3,140 U.S. counties in 2009-2014 provides strong evidence for our arguments. Our findings offer important implications in understanding inequality, race and American democracy.

Comments

Rights managed by Taylor & Francis. Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.1080/03623319.2020.1799178

Recommended Citation

Kim, Mi-Son, Dongkyu Kim, and Natasha Altema McNeely. "Race, inequality, and social capital in the US counties." The Social Science Journal 61.1 (2024): 153-171. https://doi.org/10.1080/03623319.2020.1799178

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Publication Title

Social Science Journal

DOI

10.1080/03623319.2020.1799178