Please join us, as Jenn Jackson (ABD, University of Chicago, and soon-to-be Assistant Professor, Syracuse University) presents her paper, “Seeing Risk: Measuring Disparities in Young People’s Beliefs about Economic, Proximity-based, and Stereotype Threat” on Friday, April 26^th, 11 am-12:30 pm in Lalumiere Hall, Room 262 at Marquette University!  (There is street parking on Clybourn near Lalumiere Hall.)

An abstract of her talk follows.

Young Americans between the ages of 18 and 35 are a part of the largest, most racially diverse generation since the Baby Boomers. They comprise nearly one-third of the United States workforce and will soon become a majority of the voting-eligible population, supplanting aging voters. Still, we know little about political attitudes and ideas within this growing social group. Moreover, we have yet to fully uncover differences in opinions and behaviors across race and gender where young Americans are concerned. In this study, I take up this concern by examining the role of threat in the formation of attitudes and behaviors of young Americans. Using questions from a nationally-representative survey, I examine attitudes about three forms of threat: economic threat, proximity-based threat, and stereotype threat. I find that young Black women are most concerned about economic, stereotype, and proximity-based threat when compared with other racial and gender groups including young Black men. Moreover, through my experimental analysis, I show that, even though Black Americans may feel threatened by social and political events, they may not engage in traditional forms of political participation in response to those concerns.

MAPSS is a joint research venture between the Political Science Departments at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and Marquette University, aimed at increased scholarly interaction across the city of Milwaukee.  Seminars are held on the second Friday of each month, usually at 11am, alternating between UWM and Marquette University.  Questions?  Contact organizers John Reuter (reutero@uwm.edu) or Amber Wichowsky (amber.wichowsky@marquette.edu).