Ethnicity, Employment and Exclusion

Abstract

The labour market position of ethnic groups in the UK and the US has been the subject of much debate (Daniel 1968; Smith 1977; Brown 1984; Marable 1995; Modood 1998). Questions about the extent to which the working lives of ethnic minorities have been shaped by discrimination and racism, or whether they have received preferential treatment, have rumbled on for some years, intermittently erupting when cases of unfair treatment are publicized in the media. The role of employment practices and discrimination has featured prominently in national debates about social justice, equity and inclusion. The sphere of employment is central to the discussion of inclusion and exclusion since it is through work that we earn money and gain status and any sense of job satisfaction. Indeed, employment can be said to be a crucial part of integration into wider society. Throughout this chapter I shall chart the employment fortunes of ethnic minority groups in the UK and US in order to assess the extent to which they can be said to be upwardly socially mobile.