University of Michigan
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
700 E. University St., K3510 West
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1234
Phone 734.763.4214
Email businessimpact@umich.edu
© 2021 Regents of the University of Michigan
Skin color matters. Within and across ethnoracial groups, skin color affects life experiences, including one’s financial earnings, educational opportunities, health outcomes, exposure to discrimination, interactions with the criminal justice system, and sense of group belonging. While political coalitions in the U.S. have historically revolved around ethnoracial identities, Dr. Ostfeld draws on her book (co-authored with Nicole Yadon) to argue that skin color is an increasingly important component of how people are identifying themselves and staking positions in American racial politics.