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Black Consciousness and Political Participation: The Missing Link

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  • Shingles, Richard D.

Abstract

Recent research has demonstrated that black Americans are far more politically active than whites of similar socioeconomic status. The difference has been related to black consciousness. Yet the reasons for this relationship have not been adequately explained. Starting with the work of Gurin and Gamson, this article theorizes that black consciousness contributes to political mistrust and a sense of internal political efficacy which in turn encourages policy-related participation. The relationship between the two attitudes and policy-related behavior is demonstrated to be conditional. The conditions favor blacks more than whites. What I shall call the Gamson-Gurin thesis is supported by data from Verba's and Nie's 1967 survey of the American public. The thesis, and its derivations, prove useful in clarifying the scope and nature of black participation in the American political process as well as helping us to understand how individuals in general select one mode of participation over another and how the choice varies by race and social class.

Suggested Citation

  • Shingles, Richard D., 1981. "Black Consciousness and Political Participation: The Missing Link," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 75(1), pages 76-91, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:75:y:1981:i:01:p:76-91_17
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    Cited by:

    1. Jean Schroedel & Aaron Berg & Joseph Dietrich & Javier M. Rodriguez, 2020. "Political Trust and Native American Electoral Participation: An Analysis of Survey Data from Nevada and South Dakota," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 101(5), pages 1885-1904, September.
    2. Jonathan Knuckey & Myunghee Kim, 2020. "The Politics of White Racial Identity and Vote Choice in the 2018 Midterm Elections," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 101(4), pages 1584-1599, July.
    3. Edward Fieldhouse & David Cutts, 2008. "Mobilisation or Marginalisation? Neighbourhood Effects on Muslim Electoral Registration in Britain in 2001," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(2), pages 333-354, June.
    4. Jörg Dollmann, 2022. "The Political Integration of Immigrants: How Pre- and Postmigration Contexts Matter," Journal of International Migration and Integration, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 1091-1125, September.
    5. Felix Oberholzer-Gee & Joel Waldfogel, 2001. "Electoral Acceleration: The Effect of Minority Population on Minority Voter Turnout," NBER Working Papers 8252, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Baodong Liu & Sharon D. Wright Austin & Byron D'Andrá Orey, 2009. "Church Attendance, Social Capital, and Black Voting Participation," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 90(3), pages 576-592, September.
    7. Dietlind Stolle & Stuart Soroka & Richard Johnston, 2008. "When Does Diversity Erode Trust? Neighborhood Diversity, Interpersonal Trust and the Mediating Effect of Social Interactions," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(1), pages 57-75, March.
    8. Alan Acock & Harold Clarke, 1990. "Alternative measures of political efficacy: models and means," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 87-105, February.
    9. Tao, Ran & Su, Fubing & Sun, Xin & Lu, Xi, 2011. "Political trust as rational belief: Evidence from Chinese village elections," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 108-121, March.
    10. Al Wilhite, 1988. "Political parties, campaign contributions and discrimination," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 58(3), pages 259-268, September.
    11. Conroy-Krutz, Jeffrey, 2018. "Media exposure and political participation in a transitional African context," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 224-242.
    12. Gilliam, Franklin D. Jr., 1988. "The Politics of Cultural Diversity: Racial and Ethnic Mass Attitudes in California," Institute for Social Science Research, Working Paper Series qt4hw7c4qt, Institute for Social Science Research, UCLA.
    13. Avi Ben-Bassat & Momi Dahan, 2016. "Biased Policy and Political Behavior," CESifo Working Paper Series 6269, CESifo.
    14. Matt Grossmann, 2006. "The Organization of Factions: Interest Mobilization and the Group Theory of Politics," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 6(2), pages 107-124, June.
    15. Jackson, Bryan O., 1988. "Ethnic Cleavages and Voting Patterns in Los Angeles," Institute for Social Science Research, Working Paper Series qt8wt0s6zw, Institute for Social Science Research, UCLA.

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