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A Review Essay of The Economics of Structural Racism by Patrick Mason

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  • Stephan Lefebvre

Abstract

This essay provides a streamlined presentation of stratification economics (SE) in three pillars and comments on Patrick L. Mason's (2023) book The Economics of Structural Racism: Stratification Economics and US Labor Markets. SE, a field that seeks to understand racism and other social inequalities between ascriptive groups, is characterized by rational, self-interested models of group conflict, where social groups, not individuals, are the fundamental unit of analysis, and where intergenerational transmission of advantage or disadvantage cannot be overlooked. Mason demonstrates how, compared to the dominant alternatives in economics, SE better explains changes in racial inequality over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephan Lefebvre, 2025. "A Review Essay of The Economics of Structural Racism by Patrick Mason," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 63(3), pages 1011-1037, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jeclit:v:63:y:2025:i:3:p:1011-37
    DOI: 10.1257/jel.20241770
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
    • N30 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - General, International, or Comparative

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