The 2008 election marked an end to the longstanding gap in the level of black and white
voter turnout, offering further evidence that minority empowerment affects voter turnout. In …

This article provides a broad review of research around black political representation in
Congress and state legislatures. We begin by exploring trends in black representation in …

Social scientists are increasingly taking a more complex theoretical approach to the role of
stereotyping in the electorate's evaluation of political candidates. Within this literature, most …

Members of historically underrepresented groups—women, African Americans, Latinos, and
workers—are serving in American legislatures in increasing numbers. However, legislators …

For most of the 400-year history of state legisla-tures, women and racial/ethnic minorities
have been excluded as both voters and elected representatives. Although many African …

The creation of racial/ethnic majority-minority districts lies at the heart of debates regarding
the utility of descriptive representation for minority policy advocacy. The general puzzle that …

This paper argues that since the 1960s, African Americans have substantially increased
their political participation in the US political system. It claims that Blacks in the US have built …

We examine whether descriptive representation, in terms of race, ethnicity and gender,
influences substantive representation among black, Hispanic, and female legislators. Using …

To what extent have marginalized groups attained leadership posts in governmental
bodies? Despite a growing body of research on the causes and consequences of women …

Why do some areas in the US have higher racial disparities than others? While a substantial
body of research examines the role of racial or ethnic minority (descriptive) representatives …