Question 1

Little Italy in New York City,where a number of Italian Americans have lived and owned businesses for generations,is an example of what?

Accepted Answer

Little Italy in New York City is an example of an ethnic enclave, which is a neighborhood or area with a high concentration of people from a particular ethnic group who share a common culture and often speak the same language.

Question 2

Federally mandated affirmative action rules apply only to companies that conduct a fair amount of business with the federal government,which is about what percentage of American firms?

Accepted Answer

Federally mandated affirmative action rules only apply to government contractors, and that makes up approximately 3 percent of American firms.

Question 3

What was the name of the policy put forward by President Bill Clinton that placed restrictions on how long families could receive welfare?

Accepted Answer

The policy put forward by President Bill Clinton that placed restrictions on how long families could receive welfare was the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Option A, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a food assistance program, while option B, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, was the program that PRWORA replaced. Option D, Earned Income Tax Credit, is a tax credit for low-income working individuals and families.

Question 4

According to social scientists,what is one result of affirmative action?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that people hired through affirmative action policies perform as well as those hired through regular hiring processes. This suggests that affirmative action can create a more diverse workforce without sacrificing job performance.

Question 5

What does the concept "homosocial reproduction" mean?

Accepted Answer

Homosocial reproduction refers to the tendency for individuals in positions of authority or power to reproduce their own social identities by preferring to promote, hire, or work with people who are similar to themselves. This can lead to underrepresented groups, such as women or people of color, being excluded from positions of power or influence. Option C correctly describes this phenomenon.

Question 6

While numerous groups such as Black Girls Code have tried to encourage women of color to enter industries traditionally dominated by white males,such women continue to be underrepresented in top levels of employment in these industries.What term do sociologists use to describe this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

The term sociologists use to describe this phenomenon is the glass ceiling, which refers to the invisible barrier that prevents women and minorities from advancing to top levels of employment in predominantly white male industries. Despite efforts to encourage diversity and representation, women of color continue to face this systemic barrier in their professional careers.

Question 7

What happened when antipoverty programs became intertwined with antiracism movements?

Accepted Answer

When antipoverty programs became intertwined with antiracism movements, a significant political shift occurred. Many white Americans, perceiving these policies as primarily benefiting racial minorities, began to turn away from the Democratic Party, which was increasingly associated with these initiatives. This shift was part of a broader realignment of political loyalties in the United States during the latter half of the 20th century.

Question 8

______________ women are more likely to return to welfare than white women for many reasons,including the fact that ____________.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that women of color face more obstacles in the labor market, such as discrimination and lack of access to education and training, which make it harder for them to secure stable employment and support themselves and their families. This can contribute to their higher likelihood of returning to welfare.

Question 9

A national homebuilder developing a new home community needs to hire framers,plumbers,painters,electricians,and other construction workers.There are plenty of qualified,unionized,nonimmigrant job applicants,but the builder chooses to hire mostly Mexican immigrants.According to sociologist Edna Bonacich,this choice reflects the existence of:

Accepted Answer

The scenario described is an example of a split labor market, in which there are two groups of workers that are divided by race, ethnicity, or other characteristics. The nonimmigrant workers are part of the dominant group, while the Mexican immigrants are part of a subordinate group. The builder's decision to hire mostly Mexican immigrants reflects a preference for lower-wage, non-unionized workers in the subordinate group, even though there are qualified workers in the dominant group. This perpetuates the split labor market and reinforces the subordinate status of the Mexican immigrant workers.

Question 10

Aside from the structure of the economy,the class privileges or lack thereof)of immigrants,and ethnic enclaves,what else does the textbook say impacts how well immigrants fare in America?

Accepted Answer

Racial privileges play a significant role in determining how well immigrants fare in America, as they can impact access to opportunities and resources.

Question 11

In the case Fisher v.University of Texas at Austin,Abigail Fisher,a white woman,challenged the admissions process at the University of Texas at Austin after being denied admission to the school,claiming the denial was the result of affirmative action.Her case is indicative of which pattern?

Accepted Answer

Fisher's case reflects a perception among some that white individuals, particularly in contexts like university admissions, are disadvantaged by policies like affirmative action, aligning with the pattern where survey respondents perceive whites as more likely to face discrimination in certain settings.

Question 12

In order to determine if and how discrimination affects hiring decisions,sociologists conduct studies in which they send paired actors to apply for real jobs.The actors are equal in every way aside from race.What are these studies called?

Accepted Answer

These studies are called audit studies, as they aim to "audit" or examine the hiring practices of organizations and whether or not discrimination is present. By sending paired actors who are only different in race, sociologists can determine if race played a factor in the hiring decision.

Question 13

Those who argue that employment disparities can be improved by simply providing people of color with better work training promote their belief in:

Accepted Answer

Those who believe that employment disparities can be improved by providing better work training are likely to support the idea of impersonal market forces. This means that they see the economy as being driven by supply and demand, and they believe that by providing people with the skills and knowledge that employers are looking for, they will be able to find better jobs and improve their economic situation. They are not necessarily focused on issues of systemic racism or discrimination, but rather on the practical steps that can be taken to improve people's job prospects.

Question 14

What is an "ethnic enclave"?

Accepted Answer

An ethnic enclave is a community or neighborhood in a larger society that is predominantly made up of a particular ethnic or cultural group. These enclaves often have their own businesses, cultural institutions, and social networks, and are sometimes referred to as a semiautonomous economy. This option best describes this term. The other options are not accurate descriptions of an ethnic enclave.

Question 15

According to the textbook,in 2013,if black women were paid as much as white men with similar credentials they would earn an average of how much more per year?

Accepted Answer

In 2013, if black women were paid as much as white men with similar credentials, they would earn an average of $7,000 more per year. This figure highlights the wage gap based on race and gender.

Question 16

What is the umbrella term referring to a collection of policies and practices designed to address past wrongs,institutional racism,and sexism by offering people of color and women both employment and educational opportunities?

Accepted Answer

Affirmative action is the umbrella term that refers to a collection of policies and practices designed to address past wrongs, institutional racism, and sexism by offering people of color and women both employment and educational opportunities. Options A, C, and D are not the correct answers as they do not refer to this particular concept.

Question 17

What proportion of all Americans collects means-tested public assistance during some point in their lives?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What proportion of all Americans collects means-tested...

Question 18

In 2013,the unemployment rate for whites was 6.4 percent.What was the unemployment rate for blacks?

Accepted Answer

The question asks for the unemployment rate for blacks, so we must look for a separate statistic for this demographic. In 2013, the unemployment rate for blacks was 13.2 percent, making option C the correct choice.

Question 19

Which of the following groups of workers might company executives refer to as "strike insurance"?

Accepted Answer

African American workers who replace striking workers are sometimes referred to as "strike insurance" because historically they have been brought in as replacement workers during strikes due to discriminatory hiring practices and a lack of union protection. This is seen as a strategy by some companies to weaken the power of the striking workers and prevent the strike from being successful.

Question 20

According to social scientific evidence,what has been the impact of affirmative action policies on white men?

Accepted Answer

Affirmative action policies can help white men in cases where qualified white men are given more of a chance against candidates who would have landed a job through old-boy networks and cronyism. Studies have shown that affirmative action policies have minimal negative effects on white men overall.

Quiz 4: Economics