Reingold

Beth Reingold

Associate Professor of Political Science and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Emory University
Areas of Expertise:
  • Civic Engagement
  • Race & Ethnicity
  • Women

Connect with Beth

(404) 727-6569

About Beth

Reingold studies the politics of gender and race in the U.S. She is primarily interested in issues of identity and representation, and questions about who represents whom (or what). Much of her current research is on the impact of gender, racial, and ethnic diversity in state legislatures. She and her colleagues are examining how the presence and behavior of “minority” legislators affect policymaking in the states. Her research often highlights the experiences, activities, and accomplishments of legislative women of color, as compared to those of white women and men of color, in order to recognize the diversity within and among under-represented groups, as well as the overlapping, intersecting, and interdependent nature of gender, race, and ethnicity. In this capacity, Reingold has served as a member of Project Vote Smart’s Key Vote Advisory Board since 2006.

Briefs | Podcast | Publications | In the News

Briefs

The Uneven Presence of Women and Minorities in America's State Legislatures - And Why It Matters

SSN Key Findings,

Podcast

Publications

"American Identity and the Politics of Ethnic Change" (with Jack Citrin and Donald P. Green). Journal of Politics 52, no. 4 (1990): 1124-1154.
Explores how normative conceptions of American national identity affect people’s attitudes toward ethnic minorities (Hispanic and Asian) and, when the appropriate cues are available, policy preferences on issues such as bilingual education, voting rights for non-English speakers, and affirmative action for Hispanics and Asian Americans using data from a 1988 California survey.
"Confederate Symbols, Southern Identity, and Racial Attitudes: The Case of the Georgia State Flag" (with Richard S. Wike). Social Science Quarterly 79, no. 3 (1998): 568-580.
Uses original data from a 1994 Georgia State Poll to find that widespread support of the Confederate-emblazoned state flag among whites has much more to do with racial concerns than with other aspects of southern heritage and identity – confirming the central role of race and racial conflict in southern politics and society.
Representing Women: Sex, Gender and Legislative Behavior in Arizona and California (University of North Carolina Press, 2000).
Discusses how, contrary to popular expectations, women in public office are not always more likely than men to represent women – for gender politics within and outside legislative institutions is more complex and contingent than is often assumed.
"Agenda Setting and African American Women in State Legislatures" (with Kathleen A. Bratton and Kerry L. Haynie). Journal of Women, Politics & Policy 28 (Summer/Fall 2006): 71-96.
Demonstrates how African American women in state legislatures are uniquely responsive to both black political interests and women’s interests in the bills they sponsor.
"The Impact of Descriptive Representation on Women’s Political Engagement: Does Party Matter?" (with Jessica Harrell). Political Research Quarterly 63, no. 2 (2010): 280-294.
Finds that women’s interest and engagement in politics is more likely to increase when they see women of the same party running for high political office than when women of the opposing party are vying for their votes.
"Welfare Policymaking and Intersections of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in U.S. State Legislatures" (with Adrienne R. Smith). American Journal of Political Science 56, no. 1 (2012): 131-147.
Shows that legislative women of color had the strongest and most consistent countervailing effects on state welfare policy in the mid-1990s, doing more to alleviate the get-tough provisions of welfare reform than their white female, black male, or Latino colleagues.

In the News

Beth Reingold quoted on women's issues in Nancy L. Cohen, "Why Women Should Vote for Women" Los Angeles Times, April 6, 2016.
"Election 2016: Carly Fiorina and 'Running as a Woman'," Beth Reingold, Berkeley News, October 9, 2015.
Beth Reingold's research on the decline of female and minority representation the state of Washington's legislature discussed in Brian M. RosenthalBeth Reingold, "In Contrast to Congress, Diversity Diminishes in Washington Legislature," The Seattle Times, November 24, 2012.
"Women and the 2010 Midterm Elections: A Mixed Bag," Beth Reingold (with Jessica Harrell), Women’s News and Narratives, Spring 2011.