Citation

Sharp EB, Joslyn MR. Soc. Sci. Q. 2008; 89(3): 573-591.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Southwestern Social Science Association and the University of Texas, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1540-6237.2008.00549.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Objective. The objective of this article is to examine whether racial tolerance attitudes are influenced by the character of the urban subculture in which individuals live. Specifically, is there a significant association between Florida's (2002) concept of creative class and racial tolerance among white survey respondents?

Methods. The Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey that comprises respondents across some 27 cities provides the data for this analysis. Ordered logit regression was utilized.

Results. Independent of key explanations of racial tolerance such as racial threat and contact theories, creative class or new political culture cities are associated with more progressive racial attitudes among white respondents. In addition, important evidence is uncovered that shows creative class operates as an interactive variable, conditioning the effects of traditional determinants of tolerance.

Conclusions. Evidence suggests that creative class or new political culture cities should be viewed as constituting distinctive cultural milieus that have important direct and interactive effects on tolerance attitudes.