Uncovering Discrimination: A Comparison of the Methods Used by Scholars and Civil Rights Enforcement Officials

Posted: 29 Feb 2008

See all articles by Stephen L. Ross

Stephen L. Ross

University of Connecticut - Department of Economics

John Yinger

Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Date Written: 2006

Abstract

The responsibility for uncovering discrimination falls on both scholars and civil rights enforcement officials. Scholars ask whether discrimination exists and why it arises; enforcement officials ask whether particular firms are discriminating. This article investigates the points of commonality and divergence in these two lines of inquiry. We demonstrate a need for more research focusing on discrimination as defined by the law and for more enforcement building on the methodological lessons in the research literature. We also show that disparate-impact discrimination cannot be identified with current enforcement tools but could be identified with methods in the scholarly literature.

Suggested Citation

Ross, Stephen L. and Yinger, John, Uncovering Discrimination: A Comparison of the Methods Used by Scholars and Civil Rights Enforcement Officials ( 2006). American Law and Economics Review, Vol. 8, Issue 3, pp. 562-614, 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1097910 or http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aler/ahl015

Stephen L. Ross (Contact Author)

University of Connecticut - Department of Economics ( email )

365 Fairfield Way, U-1063
Storrs, CT 06269-1063
United States
860-486-3533 (Phone)
860-486-4463 (Fax)

John Yinger

Syracuse University, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs ( email )

Center for Policy Research
426 Eggers Hall
Syracuse, NY 13244-1020
United States
315-443-9062 (Phone)

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