Racial and Political Dynamics of an Approaching “Majority-Minority” United States

• Published in: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 2018-05, Vol.677 (1), p.204-214
• Main Authors: CRAIG, MAUREEN A., RUCKER, JULIAN M., RICHESON, JENNIFER A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitudes; Change agents; Demographics; Ethnicity; IV: Some Ramifications of Diversity; Minority & ethnic groups; Minority groups; Multiculturalism & pluralism; Political attitudes; Political ideologies; Political systems; Psychological mechanisms; Race relations; Racial attitudes; Research methodology
• ISSN: 0002-7162; 1552-3349
• DOI: 10.1177/0002716218766269

Do demographic shifts in the racial composition of the United States promote positive changes in the nation’s racial dynamics? Change in response to the nation’s growing diversity is likely, but its direction and scope are less clear. This review integrates emerging social-scientific research that examines how Americans are responding to the projected changes in the racial/ethnic demographics of the United States. Specifically, we review recent empirical research that examines how exposure to information that the United States is becoming a “majority-minority” nation affects racial attitudes and several political outcomes (e.g., ideology, policy preferences), and the psychological mechanisms that give rise to those attitudes. We focus primarily on the reactions of members of the current dominant racial group (i.e., white Americans). We then consider important implications of these findings and propose essential questions for future research.