Unequal at the Starting Line: Creating Participatory Inequalities across Generations and among Groups

We investigate how inequalities in political participation are shaped across generations by considering the influence of family background--in particular, parents' education and political involvement--on political participation. We pursue this issue, first, for individuals, investigating the effects of parental characteristics on the participatory profile of their offspring. Then, we use what we have learned to understand how group differences in political participation--between women and men and among Latinos, African Americans, and Anglo Whites--are rooted in the legacy of class and political background and in experiences throughout the life cycle.