Abstract
Few studies analyze the mechanisms that cause inequality in earnings, employment, and occupational achievement between Latino and non-Latino populations. Compared to analyses of income for blacks, relatively little attention has been devoted to the study of income determination among Latino populations. Previous studies consider income inequalities from the perspective of human capital theory. In this chapter, we will consider two dominant theoretical perspectives for explaining income inequality: the human capital model and the class/structural model. Then we will review related empirical studies of Latino populations. After critiquing the human capital and class/structural perspectives, we will discuss policy initiatives emerging from these two competing models on income inequality. Lastly, we will consider future research directions for the analysis of income determination and employment among Latinos in the United States and conclude with some thoughts on the challenges we face in the post-Reagan era in constructing policy alternatives and initiating a movement that secures economic and political justice.
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Torres, R.D., de la Torre, A. (1991). Latinos, Class, and the U. S. Political Economy. In: Melendez, E., Rodriguez, C., Figueroa, J.B. (eds) Hispanics in the Labor Force. Environment, Development and Public Policy. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0655-7_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0655-7_13
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