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Placing Racial Classification in Context
Robert E M Pickett1, Aliya Saperstein2, Andrew M Penner3
1University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.
Socius : Sociological Research for a Dynamic World
|October 29, 2019
Summary
Racial categorization in the U.S. is shaped by both individual traits and county-level factors, with these influences varying geographically. This study reveals how place impacts the definition of racial boundaries across different scales.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Racial and ethnic studies
- Geographic sociology
Background:
- Previous research highlights place-based patterns in racial categorization.
- Sociological theory suggests subnational variations in cultural schemas influence social constructs.
- Understanding the spatial dynamics of racial classification is crucial for social science research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how individual and county characteristics predict racial classification.
- To explore the spatial variation of these predictive relationships across the United States.
- To link place-based racial categorization to sociological theories of cultural schemas.
Main Methods:
- Utilized U.S. restricted-use geocoded longitudinal survey data.
- Employed regression techniques, including spatial-regime models and geographically weighted regression.
- Predicted racial classification based on individual and county-level characteristics.
Main Results:
- Individual characteristics were most significant for classifying individuals as "Black."
- Contextual (county) characteristics were important predictors for classifications as "White" or "Other."
- The influence of certain predictors on racial classification varied significantly across different geographic locations.
Conclusions:
- Place plays a critical role in defining the boundaries of race in the U.S.
- U.S. racial schemas operate at multiple spatial scales, encompassing both national and local influences.
- Geographic variations in social and cultural factors contribute to diverse racial classification patterns.
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