Race and social equity : a nervous area of government / Susan T. Gooden.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gooden, Susan, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Social justice--United States.

Social justice.

Public administration--Social aspects.

Public administration.

Equality--Government policy.

Equality.

United States.

Equality--Government policy--United States.

Public administration--Social aspects--United States.

Physical Description:

xvii, 214 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Armonk, New York : M.E. Sharpe, [2014]

Summary:

Like the air we breathe, nervousness about race surrounds us. This book contends that social equity, specifically racial equity, is a nervous area of government. Over the course of history, this nervousness has resulted in an inability to seriously advance the reduction of racial inequities in govement. Until this nervousness is effectively managed, efforts designed to reduce racial inequities in the public sector cannot realize their full potential. The book profiles case studies of public agencies at the federal, state, and local level that are "ahead of the cure" in navigating this nervous area of government. It concludes by considering performance management, educational challenges within public administration, and race and social equity in a comparative context. The final chapter of Race and Social Equity offers ten practical principles for conquering nervousness in government. Race and Social Equity is written for public administration faculty and graduate students, and is particularly targeted for us in graduate-level courses with an emphasis on social equity, race, diversity, public management, and organizational behavior. Public service practitioners will also find this book to be an important resource in tackling an important issue. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Nervousness, Social Equity, and Public Administration 3

Race and Social Equity: A "Nervous Area of Government" 4

Why Focus on Race? 10

Social Equity, Public Administration, and Notions of American Democracy 13

Conclusion 17

References 18

2 The Saturation of Racial Inequities in the United States 21

Housing 22

Education 28

Environment 33

Conclusion 39

References 40

3 Nervousness Within Individual Public Administrators 45

Race Talk at Work 47

Conversational Avoidance 51

Strategic Colorblindness 51

Assimilation 52

Conversational Variability 53

Personal Experience 53

Cultural Pluralism 54

Multicultural Mosaic 55

Conclusion 55

References 56

4 Nervousness in Public Sector Organizations 60

Organizational Culture 60

Organizational Values and Goals 62

Organizational Socialization 68

Organizational Leadership and Change 70

Organizational Discourse 73

Organizational Learning and High Performance 74

Conclusion 76

References 76

5 Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative 79

Beginning Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative 80

Implementing Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative 83

Acknowledging Institutional Racism 84

Citywide Employee Training on Race and Racism 86

Developing Agency Plans 89

Results from the Race and Social Justice Initiative 93

Sustaining the Work 95

Conclusion 98

References 100

6 Assessing Agency Performance: The Wisconsin Experience 102

Public Administration and Social Equity 103

Assessing Social Equity in Governmental Services 103

Contemporary Welfare Policy and Race 104

Findings from Wisconsin Works 107

Conceptual Model for Racial Disparties Analysis Within Agencies 117

Conclusion 119

Appendix 6.1. Interview Protocol 120

Notes 121

References 122

7 Making Racial Equity Work Visible: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 123

About the EPA 124

Establishing the Office of Environmental Justice 125

EPA Mission, Leadership, and Strategic Planning 126

Implementing the Work: Operational Structure, Programs, and Activities 133

Environmental Justice 2.0: Environmental Justice in Action 141

Conclusion 143

References 144

8 Assessing Racial Equity in Government 146

Racial Equity Analysis 147

Assessing Racial Equity in Government 149

Evaluating Racial Equity Performance 158

Conclusion 158

References 159

9 Beyond the Diversity Plan: Overcoming Racial Nervousness Within MPA Programs 162

NASPAA Standards 163

Culture vs. Climate 165

Performing a Cultural Audit 166

Focusing on Program Specifics 171

Conclusion 176

Notes 177

References 177

10 Nervousness in a Comparative Context 180

Government Apologies 181

Comparative Nervousness 185

Racial Discrimination and the United Nations 190

Conclusion 193

References 193

11 Principles for Conquering Nervousness in Government 196

Principle 1 196

Principle 2 197

Principle 3 197

Principle 4 198

Principle 5 198

Principle 6 199

Principle 7 199

Principle 8 200

Principle 9 200

Principle 10 201.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780765637185

0765637189

9780765637192

0765637197

OCLC:

857803792