Racial Discrimination Measurement and Analysis

Abstract

Racial discrimination takes place when people are disproportionately treated or denied the same opportunities as those in a similar position because of their nationality, birthplace, racial origin, or color of their skin. For instance, an employer declined to recruit a properly qualified Aboriginal person as a shop assistant to a less qualified person of another race because they believed they would lose tradition. This could be a case of racial discrimination (Australian Human Rights Commission, n.d.). In the United States, racial and ethnic groups, including Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Americans, etc., the persistent negation of civilian, social, political, educational, and economic opportunities has traditionally faced serious discrimination. There are currently considerable differences in outcomes in the jobs, income and wealth, housing, education, criminal justice, health, and other areas between racial and racial groups. Although several factors could contribute to these disparities, their size and scale indicate the existence in U.S. society of different types of discrimination and undermines equal opportunities. In those cases, determining where racial discrimination exists and measuring to what degree discrimination can lead to racial and ethnic differences is of vital importance.