There is a growing body of scholarly literature on the relationship between ethnic diversity and preferences for redistribution, or support for the welfare state, but empirical findings have not been consistent. Some scholars have suggested that it is actually neighborhood diversity that matters most for inter-group relations. In my previous research (Steele 2016a), I found that ethnic diversity does not have negative effects—and may even have positive effects—on support for redistribution in global perspective. Citing the contact hypothesis, I theorized that any positive effects may be a result of inter-group contact, in that the opportunity to interact with other groups reduces intergroup tensions and hostilities and promotes positive feelings and trust. To further examine these theories, I designed a survey experiment to test the effects of neighborhood diversity on preferences for redistribution and on generosity in a dictator game with partners of varied racial and class backgrounds. Three hundred and twenty New York City residents participated in the study via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Preliminary results suggest that neighborhood diversity, both native and immigrant, has modest positive effects on generosity in the dictator game and on support for redistribution. Thus, I find some support for the contact hypothesis.
Key words: neighborhood diversity, preferences for redistribution, immigration, ethnic diversity, urban studies, dictator game, survey experiment, New York City
This study seeks to understand how young, unmarried mothers and mothers-to-be in the favelas (shantytowns) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have experienced religious morality as applied to themselves and other adolescents in their communities, as well as how religious leaders grapple with the moral issue of unmarried adolescent maternity in their midst. Drawing on more than 50 interviews conducted in Rio with young mothers, Catholic and evangelical religious leaders who work with the poor, and staff members of non-governmental organizations, this paper seeks to understand the acceptance—or even approval—that unmarried pregnant teens and adolescent mothers usually encounter, which casts doubt on whether the issue is actually posing a moral dilemma for these religious institutions. The realities of everyday life in Rio’s favelas, most prominently the ever-present specter of violence, high rates of teen motherhood, strong popular opposition to abortion, the high value accorded to motherhood, and the intense competition of the religious marketplace appear to influence the ways in which favela residents and religious leaders understand and interpret morality. More generally, this study offers an example of how religious groups working in impoverished communities throughout the world might adapt traditional moral codes to suit their circumstances.
Key words: adolescents/youth; Brazil; Pentecostalism; sexual behavior; morality; ethnography.
What are the policy preferences of American economic elites, or the “one percent”? The wealthy have been shown to have disproportionate influence in shaping policies in the United States (Gilens 2005; Page et al. 2013; Winters and Page 2009). Yet, we know little about their actual policy preferences regarding the expenditure of their tax contributions. In the proposed study, I plan to research how elites could be motivated to support reducing socioeconomic inequality through a qualitative interview study of 30 members of the one percent in the greater New York City area.
Key words: wealth, elites, preferences for redistribution, policy preferences, inequality, New York City