Many thanks to Amanda Lewis & Eduardo Bonilla-Silva for all their hard work in editing the special issue that this paper is a part of. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to check out the full issue!
Christina J. Cross
Are lower rates of two-parent families among African Americans the reason they have lower life outcomes than white Americans? Or do the barriers to living in a two-parent family (e.g., mass incarceration) also explain their more limited life opportunities?
I found that once barriers to entry were taken into account, family structure explained only a small fraction of the racial gap in young adult outcomes. When we ignore barriers to marriage, we overestimate family structure’s role in maintaining racial inequality.
It’s really hard to get married and stay married when you’ve been imprisoned, and/or struggle to earn a living wage. These same barriers also limit your chances of getting ahead more generally.
Looking forward to joining @isi-munich.bsky.social in Munich for a conversation about INHERITED INEQUALITY!
Thanks for having me, @jean23bean.bsky.social! It was a lovely visit to @cunygcsociology.bsky.social!
African Americans’ lower rates of two-parent families are often viewed as a root cause of the disadvantages they face. What’s often overlooked are the barriers—like mass incarceration and limited job opportunities—that make it harder for them to form two-parent families in the first place.
My latest article was recently published in Ethnic & Racial Studies. A 🧵:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/9WABN...
Christina J. Cross
Thanks @christinajcross.bsky.social for an excellent talk! @cunygcsociology.bsky.social @bfoxwilliams.bsky.social
Excited to welcome @christinajcross.bsky.social to @cunygcsociology.bsky.social on Friday, December 5th for her colloquium, Inherited Inequality:
@thegraduatecenter.bsky.social
www.gc.cuny.edu/events/inher...
