Racial Discrimination: Theories, Facts and Policy

By Marco Fugazza

The relevance of major theoretical and empirical findings in assessing the impact of race-based discrimination on the labour market.

The author reviews how various forms of socio-economic interaction and intergenerational propagation. However, debate continues over the interpretation of the research, notably whether disparities express current discrimination or the residue of past discrimination and/or human capital deficiencies. He reviews the policy implications, also considering the impact of human capital accumulation, housing segregation, and racial discrimination as a factor explaining the male/female wage gap.

(International Labour Review. Vol. 142, no. 4, 2003/4; pp507-41)