Devah Pager is an American sociologist best known for her research on racial discrimination in employment and the American criminal justice system. She worked as a professor of sociology and public policy at Harvard University. Her doctoral dissertation study, which is described in the video below, was awarded the “Best Dissertation Prize” by the American Sociological Association and was later published as a series of articles and a book, Marked: Race, Crime, and Finding Work in an Era of Mass Incarceration (University of Chicago Press, 2007). Pager’s work has been widely featured in the media, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Chicago Tribune, and in CNN’s documentary Black in America
1. Describe Devah Pager’s social experiment on racism, criminal record, and employment opportunities. In other words, what was done as part of her study? (approximately 200 words)
2. Evaluate the design and methodology of Pager’s study. In other words, do you think that way in which designed her experiment can truly capture information and yield insights about her research question? Why or why not? (approximately 200 words)
3. What were the main results of Pager’s study? How does Devah Pager explain the actions of employers? (approximately 200)
4. Based on your study of course materials and your own opinion, does Devah Pager’s study accurately assess racial and ethnic inequality in contemporary America? Why or why not? Be sure to support your answers with specific examples from at least two academic sources. (approximately 300-400 words)
Below is a short video describing the social experiment:
Race, Employment and a criminal record: Devah Pager
