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Selected Works

Deirdre M Bowen

Politics

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Law

Manufacturing Moral Panic As Political Distraction: An Empirical And Social Theoretical Analysis Of Domas, Deirdre Bowen Feb 2013

Manufacturing Moral Panic As Political Distraction: An Empirical And Social Theoretical Analysis Of Domas, Deirdre Bowen

Deirdre M Bowen

This article offers the only empirical analysis to date of national data evaluating the claim that defense of marriage acts (DOMAs) preserve and stabilize the family. After concluding that they do not, the article analyzes what variables are, in fact, correlated with family stability. Specifically, the relationships between families below the poverty line, men and women married three or more times, religiosity, percent conservative versus liberal in a state, disposable income, percent with bachelor’s degree, and median age of first marriage, and marriage and divorce trends is fully explored. Next, the article applies the sociological concepts of moral entrepreneurism, which …


American Skin: Dispensing With Colorblindness And Critical Mass In Affirmative Action, Deirdre Bowen Feb 2011

American Skin: Dispensing With Colorblindness And Critical Mass In Affirmative Action, Deirdre Bowen

Deirdre M Bowen

This exploratory empirical work examines whether students of color enjoy the benefits articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Grutter decision that rationalized the continuation of affirmative action based on diversity interests. Specifically, the Court stated that affirmative action was permissible because students of all backgrounds would increase their racial understanding and decrease their racial stereotyping of minorities. Neither side was happy with the decision—both skeptical that such benefits could transpire for minority students. Yet, in the heat of continuing debate, neither group has empirical support for their arguments until now. Using survey data of over 370 under-represented minority …