Handbook On The Economics Of Discrimination

‘The papers contained in the first part of the book are particularly valuable as a primer for researchers interested in economic discrimination. On this basis alone this book is recommended for researchers seeking an overview of current techniques for assessing economic discrimination. . . The final section nicely highlights both the importance in understanding the interaction of policy and economic discrimination, and the difficulties in isolating policy effects.’
– Education Economics

‘Editor Rodgers has compiled a very useful book that summarizes the current state of the literature on economic discrimination. . . This reviewer
learned something new and interesting in every chapter and particularly
appreciated the clear survey of the age discrimination literature. . . This book will be of value to academics and to those in the legal arena. Highly recommended.’
– J.P. Jacobsen, Choice

Discrimination’s dynamic nature means that no single theory, method, data or study should be relied upon to assess its magnitude, causes, or remedies. Despite some gains in our understanding, these remain active areas of debate among researchers, practitioners and policymakers. The specially commissioned papers in this volume, all by distinguished contributors, present the full range of issues related to this complex and challenging problem.

Part 1 explores innovations in methods and data collection that help to provide richer descriptions of inequality. Part 2 reviews empirical evidence on discrimination that people with disabilities, older workers and gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals face. Although discrimination among these groups is not new, this Handbook shows that economists are beginning to more fully document their experiences. Part 3 presents a balanced discussion of anti-discrimination policies and the impact of affirmative action. The methods and data chapters are particularly designed to encourage researchers to utilize the new approaches and develop new data sources.

Accessible and comprehensive, the Handbook is the seminal reference on the economics of discrimination for academic and professional economists, graduate students, advanced undergraduates, practitioners, policymakers, and funders of social science research.

Contents:
Introduction
William M. Rodgers III

Part I: New Methods
1. A Primer on Wage Gap Decompositions in the Analysis of Labor Market Discrimination
Yana van der Meulen Rodgers

2. Using Matched Employer–Employee Data to Study Labor Market Discrimination
Judith K. Hellerstein and David Neumark

3. Learning About Discrimination by Talking to Employers
Philip Moss and Chris Tilly

4. Discrimination: Experimental Evidence from Psychology and Economics
Lisa R. Anderson, Roland G. Fryer and Charles A. Holt
Part II: Beyond Race and Gender

5. A Critical Review of Studies of Discrimination Against Workers with Disabilities
Marjorie L. Baldwin and William G. Johnson

6. Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation: A Review of the Literature in Economics and Beyond
M.V. Lee Badgett

7. Age Discrimination in US Labor Markets: A Review of the Evidence
Scott J. Adams and David Neumark
Part III: Policy Impacts

8. Discrimination in the Credit and Housing Markets: Findings and Challenges
Gary A. Dymski

9. Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action
Harry J. Holzer and David Neumark

Concluding Thoughts
William M. Rodgers III

Index