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Theories of Statistical Discrimination and Affirmative Action: A Survey

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Listed author(s):
  • Hanming Fang
  • Andrea Moro

Abstract

This chapter surveys the theoretical literature on statistical discrimination and affirmative action. This literature suggests different explanations for the existence and persistence of group inequality. This survey highlights such differences and describes in these contexts the effects of color-sighted and color-blind affirmative action policies, and the efficiency implications of discriminatory outcomes.

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File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w15860.pdf
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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 15860.

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Date of creation: Apr 2010
Publication status: published as Theories of Statistical Discrimination and Armative Action: A Survey, (with Andrea Moro), Handbook of Social Economics, Vol I, edited by Jess Benhabib, Alberto Bisin, and Matthew Jackson, North-Holland, November 2010, 76 pages.
Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:15860
Note: LS PE
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National Bureau of Economic Research, 1050 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.

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Keywords:

Find related papers by JEL classification:

  • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
  • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
  • J7 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination
  • J71 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Hiring and Firing
  • J78 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor Discrimination - - - Public Policy (including comparable worth)

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  1. Kevin Lang, 1986. "A Language Theory of Discrimination," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 101(2), pages 363-382.
  2. Moro, Andrea & Norman, Peter, 2004. "A general equilibrium model of statistical discrimination," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 114(1), pages 1-30, January.
  3. Andrew Schotter & Keith Weigelt, 1992. "Asymmetric Tournaments, Equal Opportunity Laws, and Affirmative Action: Some Experimental Results," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 107(2), pages 511-539.
  4. Coate, Stephen & Loury, Glenn, 1993. "Antidiscrimination Enforcement and the Problem of Patronization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 83(2), pages 92-98, May.
  5. Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1973. "Approaches to the Economics of Discrimination," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 63(2), pages 287-295, May.
  6. Qiang Fu, 2006. "A Theory of Affirmative Action in College Admissions," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 44(3), pages 420-428, July.
  7. Kim-Sau Chung, 2000. "Role Models and Arguments for Affirmative Action," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(3), pages 640-648, June.
  8. Larry Samuelson & George J. Mailath & Avner Shaked, 2000. "Endogenous Inequality in Integrated Labor Markets with Two-Sided Search," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(1), pages 46-72, March.
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  1. Statistical discrimination (economics) in Wikipedia English ne '')

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