Gaining Voice

Scholars studying the causes and consequences of political representation, particularly in terms of gender and race, often turn to a concept called descriptive representation. Descriptive representation tells us the degree to which elected officials resemble their constituents, and whether such a resemblance has a bearing on the way they legislate. In other words, do people vote for candidates of their same racial/ethnic background or gender? If they do, does thisaffect the type of policies an elected official pursues? Further, if citizens see people who look like them in office, does it have an effect on their political attitudes and participation? In this book, Christopher J. Clark argues that descriptive representation is a more multi-faceted phenomenon than previously shown, particularly when observed at the state level. He contends that black political involvement, political attitudes, and public opinion are contingent on more than being represented by a single black elected official. Rather, they hinge on the proportion of African Americans making up a state legislature—what Clark terms "black seat share"—as well as the degree towhich that proportion reflects the demographic makeup of the state. As well, Clark pinpoints the critical mass of African American legislators necessary to initiate the creation of black caucuses, an important institution for minority representation. Clark bases his study on an examination of blackrepresentation in state legislatures between 1966 and 2010, looking particularly at black political opinion and involvement in the development of welfare and education policy.

Clark has provided a quite noteworthy contribution to our empirical understanding of how — and in what context — descriptive representation matters in affecting policy and political outcomes. I commend him for providing extensive evidence..., Ultimately Clark's book represents a valuable contribution to a number of sub-fields in the study of American politics., Christopher Clark's book, Gaining Voice, is a welcome addition to the literature on race and representation. It deftly argues for a multifaceted approach that examines individual and collective representation through caucuses at the state level. Scholars interested in legislative politics, state politics, and race in American politics should read this book, and take seriously the call to examine representation in this way as it will yield new knowledge and research paths for future work., Gaining Voice traces the representation of African-Americans in state legislatures from its demographic causes to the way it shapes legislative institutions and finally through to its powerful policy consequences. Clark draws on a range of sources to show where black politicians win office and just how strong their voices can be on issues such as education spending.

Christopher J. Clark is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.