Urban Inequality: Evidence from Four Cities. A Volume in the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality

Despite today's booming economy, secure work and upward mobility remain out of reach for many central-city residents. Urban Inequality presents an authoritative new look at the racial and economic divisions that continue to beset our nation's cities. Drawing upon a landmark survey of employers and households in four U.S. metropolises, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Los Angeles, the study links both sides of the labor market, inquiring into the job requirements and hiring procedures of employers, as well as the skills, housing situation, and job search strategies of workers. Using this wealth of evidence, the authors discuss the merits of rival explanations of urban inequality. Do racial minorities lack the skills and education demanded by employers in today's global economy? Have the jobs best matched to the skills of inner-city workers moved to outlying suburbs? Or is inequality the result of racial discrimination in hiring, pay, and housing? Each of these explanations may provide part of the story, and the authors shed new light on the links between labor market disadvantage, residential segregation, and exclusionary racial attitudes. In each of the four cities, old industries have declined and new commercial centers have sprung up outside the traditional city limits, while new immigrant groups have entered all levels of the labor market. Despite these transformations, longstanding hostilities and lines of segregation between racial and ethnic communities are still apparent in each city. This book reveals how the disadvantaged position of many minority workers is compounded by racial antipathies and stereotypes that count against them in their search for housing and jobs. Until now, there has been little agreement on the sources of urban disadvantage and no convincing way of adjudicating between rival theories. Urban Inequality aims to advance our understanding of the causes of urban inequality as a first step toward ensuring that the nation's cities can prosper in the future without leaving their minority residents further behind. A Volume in the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality This collection of papers focuses on urban inequalities in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Los Angeles. There are 11 chapters in 3 parts. The book begins with an introduction, "Understanding Inequality in the Late Twentieth-Century Metropolis: New Perspectives on the Enduring Racial Divide" (Alice O'Connor) and chapter 1, "Metropolises of the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality: Social, Economic, Demographic, and Racial Issues in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Los Angeles" (Reynolds Farley). Part 1, "Racial Attitudes," includes: (2) "Stereotyping and Urban Inequality" (Lawrence D. Bobo and Michael P. Massagli); and (3) "Perceived Group Discrimination and Policy Attitudes: The Sources and Consequences of the Race and Gender Gaps" (James R. Kluegel and Lawrence D. Bobo). Part 2,"Residence, Employment, and the Significance of Space," includes: (4) "Processes of Racial Residential Segregation (Camille Zubrinsky Charles); (5) "Ethnic Residential Segregation and Its Consequences" (Franklin D. Wilson and Roger B. Hammer); and (6) "Space as a Signal: How Employers Perceive Neighborhoods in Four Metropolitan Labor Markets" (Chris Tilly, Philip Moss, Joleen Kirschenman, and Ivy Kennelly). Part 3, "Inequality and the Structure of Labor Market Opportunity," includes: (7) "Racial and Ethnic Differences in Job Searching in Urban Centers" (Luis M. Falcon and Edwin Melendez); (8) "Inequality Through Labor Markets, Firms, and Families: The Intersection of Gender and Race-Ethnicity Across Three Cities" (Irene Browne, Leann Tigges, and Julie Press); (9) "Linking the Multi-City Study's Household and Employer Surveys to Test for Race and Gender Effects in Hiring and Wage Setting" (Tom Hertz, Chris Tilly, and Michael P. Massagli); (10) "Why Opportunity Isn't Knocking: Racial Inequality and the Demand for Labor" (Philip Moss and Chris Tilly); and (11) "Are Jobs Available for Disadvantaged Workers in Urban Areas?" (Harry J. Holzer and Sheldon Danziger). (Papers contain references.) (SM) Understanding Inequality In The Late Twentieth-century Metropolis : New Perspectives On The Enduring Racial Divide / Alice O'connor -- Metropolises Of The Multi-city Study Of Urban Inequality : Social, Economic, Demographic, And Racial Issues In Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, And Los Angeles / Reynolds Farley -- Stereotyping And Urban Inequality / Lawrence D. Bobo And Michael P. Massagli -- Perceived Group Discrimination And Policy Attitudes : The Sources And Consequences Of The Race And Gender Gaps / James R. Kluegel And Lawrence D. Bobo. Processes Of Racial Residential Segregation / Camille Zubrinsky Charles -- Ethnic Residential Segregation And Its Consequences / Franklin D. Wilson And Roger B. Hammer -- Space As A Signal : How Employers Perceive Neighborhoods In Four Metropolitan Labor Markets / Chris Tilly, Philip Moss, Joleen Kirschenman, And Ivy Kennelly -- Racial And Ethnic Differences In Job Searching In Urban Centers / Luis M. Falcon And Edwin Melendez -- Inequality Through Labor Markets, Firms, And Families : The Intersection Of Gender And Race-ethnicity Across Three Cities / Irene Browne, Leann Tigges, And Julie Press. Linking The Multi-city Study's Household And Employer Surveys To Test For Race And Gender Effects In Hiring And Wage Setting / Tom Hertz, Chris Tilly, And Michael P. Massagli -- Why Opportunity Isn't Knocking : Racial Inequality And The Demand For Labor / Philip Moss And Chris Tilly -- Are Jobs Available For Disadvantaged Workers In Urban Areas? / Harry J. Holzer And Sheldon Danziger. Alice O'connor, Chris Tilly, Lawrence D. Bobo, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Understanding inequality in the late twentieth-century metropolis : new perspectives on the enduring racial divide Alice O'Connor -- Metropolises of the multi-city study of urban inequality : social, economic, demographic, and racial issues in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Los Angeles Reynolds Farley -- Stereotyping and urban inequality Lawrence D. Bobo and Michael P. Massagli -- Stereotyping and urban inequality Lawrence D. Bobo and Michael P. Massagli -- Perceived group discrimination and policy attitudes : the sources and consequences of the race and gender gaps James R. Kluegel and Lawrence D. Bobo Based on a survey of employers and households in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit and Los Angeles. Comprises 11 chapters by different authors, plus an introduction