University of California Santa Barbara Study Indicates Minorities Underrepresented in Government

Race and gender are key factors in determining the distribution of power in government, according to the study presented this week by a team of researchers including UCSB professor of Political Science Pei-te Lien. The team created a database of over 10,000 elected officials of color at federal, state, and local levels. Using this database, they conducted phone surveys with 1,354 African-American, Asian-American, Latino, and American Indian officials on various policy topics ranging from the war in Iraq to education to abortion in an effort to gain a more focused understanding of our elected leadership. In addition to key issues, the group also analyzed personal background and the roles of those polled to create an unprecedented study of multiculturalism and gender in U.S. politics.”*

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