On Tue, 29 Jun 2004, Wojtek Sokolowski wrote:
> Doug:
> > Racism includes things like inherited wealth and expectations and
> > school quality. You don't need to descend into culture of poverty
> > explanations.
>
> I do not doubt the effects of "path dependencies." I doubt, however,
> that all-embracing concept that include every possible trait is a good
> analytical tool.
>
> Wojtek
C'mon, Woj: if race is socially defined, "race" is not a nebulous, all-embracing concept; it's simply historically contingent, and in a specific historical context it has specific consensual meaning. --If people in a society think that race is linked up with many other factors, that becomes a social fact that shapes social interactions and public policy, and it matters not a bit how "enlightened" or "educated" people want to define race.
--race is the social phenomenon to be explained; it's not the exogenous variable in your path model!
Miles