Irene Browne Belisa Gonzalez Emory University
This pilot project studies the role of discrimination in the mobility strategies of middle class immigrant Mexican and Dominican families in the Atlanta metropolitan region. Through in-depth interviews, the PIs address the following research questions: 1) Does the experience of discrimination influence decisions about where to live, what schools children attend, and which organizations to join (mobility strategies) among middle class parents of Dominican and Mexican descent?, and 2) Does the practice of discrimination towards other groups influence mobility strategies among middle class Dominican and Mexican descent parents? This comparative project moves beyond the Black/White paradigm of paths to upward mobility. It brings new theoretical and empirical knowledge that will help us to better understand how race and ethnic group relations shape the intergenerational transmission of class advantage among these distinctly different Latino groups. By focusing on Atlanta, the study will provide insight into race, ethnic and class dynamics within one of the new immigrant destinations, where historically black/white race relations are encountered, challenged and potentially transformed. The PIs will interview a small sample of Mexican families and Dominican from four neighborhoods. The pilot study will enable the PIs tp ascertain the feasibility of locating middle class Mexican and Dominican families across a range of neighborhoods in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Broader impact: Study results can inform policy to combat the continued racial and ethnic inequality in housing and schooling. By identifying the mechanisms through which discrimination influences pivotal decisions that affect the fate of middle class Mexican and Dominican children in Atlanta, the research will identify potential barriers to mobility and discover opportunities for cooperation and coalition-building among historically disenfranchised groups.
