Hurdles and paternalism: the long way to overcome discrimination and sub-representation of hispanics and afro-americans in economics. An analysis for the United States between 1995-2019

The debate on whether there isracial exclusion in economicsis open. There is a strong contrast between the position of those who consider that there is still discrimination in the field and those who believe that this phenomenon has disappeared (or became insignificant) in recent decades. This document analyzes the evolution and change in the dynamics related to the representation of Afro-American and Hispanic minorities in economics within the US postsecondary educational system from 1995 to 2019. I present data from the National Center for Education Statistics (2020) and show that there is not only a low representation of Hispanic and Afro-American people in degrees awarded at post-secondary institutions but negligible employment of these groups within leading academic institutions. I evaluate some of the possible reasons for the persistence of socioeconomic barriers, like discrimination, exclusion, and self-isolation attitudes, that block academic and professional advancement in the discipline for these minorities. The analysis is important for economists outside the US due to two factors: the 'Americanization' of economics and the influence of the US top centers over the curriculum of other institutions around the world.