Event CANCELLED due to illness

The Color of Power: The Evolving Relationship Between Race, Skin Color and Power in American Politics

Monday, Feb. 6, 2023 (3:30 PM – 5:00 PM)

Mara Ostfeld

Assistant Professor, Political Science
Assistant Research Scientist, Ford School of Public Policy
Faculty Associate, Center for Political Studies
University of Michigan

Skin color matters. Within and across ethnoracial groups, skin color affects life experiences, including one’s financial earnings, educational opportunities, health outcomes, exposure to discrimination, interactions with the criminal justice system, and sense of group belonging. While political coalitions in the U.S. have historically revolved around ethnoracial identities, Dr. Ostfeld draws on her book (co-authored with Nicole Yadon) to argue that skin color is an increasingly important component of how people are identifying themselves and staking positions in American racial politics