Forthcoming at University of Chicago Press in the Studies in American Politics Series (expected Spring 2025).
Book Description
Research shows that differences in skin tone are linked with significant differences in life experiences. On average, African Americans with dark skin have lower wages, less wealth, worse health outcomes, and more negative criminal justice experiences than light-skinned Africans Americans. Do these experiences influence political identities and attitudes?
Drawing on 100 in-depth interviews and evidence from multiple surveys and a survey experiment, The Politics of Skin Tone investigates this question. Yadon conceptualizes skin tone as one facet of the multidimensional construct of race which powerfully influences racialized experiences. She finds that skin tone meaningfully correlates with political attitudes, particularly on issues where color-based disparities are well-known and most pronounced (e.g., criminal justice, jobs). Moreover, skin tone-related identity is meaningful to a sizable number of African Americans and, in turn, is strongly associated with political attitudes. In an era of shifting racial boundaries and growing color-based discrimination, Yadon examines the implications for scholars and policymakers alike.