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The Implications of Class, Race, and Ethnicity for Political Networks

University of Arizona, Tucson, leighley{at}email.arizona.edu

Tetsuya Matsubayashi

University of North Texas, Denton

Previous research demonstrates the importance of citizens’ communication networks as an influence on their political behavior. Yet most findings are limited to samples of Whites or the interaction of Whites with their discussants. This article extends our attention to the social networks of Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and noncitizens, and explores how communication processes differ across them. Using data from the Multi-City Study of Urban Inequality, we first compare various characteristics of social networks across racial and ethnic groups. Second, we test whether the network-based advantages of Whites, compared with other groups, result from differences in individual socioeconomic status or from group-based social resources. Third, we investigate whether interracial interaction affects race-related attitudes. In conclusion, we urge scholars who study social networks to recognize the important consequences of racial diversity for more fully understanding the political behavior of all Americans, whether Anglo, Black, Latino, or Asian.

Key Words: social networks • race • social class • ethnicity • socioeconomic status • network diversity • affirmative action • immigrant incorporation

American Politics Research, Vol. 37, No. 5, 824-855 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1532673X09337889


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