Melinda D. Kane

Social Support and Career Optimism: Examining the Effectiveness of Network Groups Among Black Managers

As companies look for better ways to manage diversity, one of the approaches that is emerging is the use of female and minority network groups. These groups are not well understood, and there has been no quantitative analysis of their impact on minority employees. Social network theory suggests that network groups should enhance the social resources available to women and minorities and in that way enhance their chance of career success, but some critics of network groups suggest that backlash might produce greater social isolation and discrimination. In this paper, we analyze a survey of members of the National Black MBA Association to find out whether network groups have a positive impact on career optimism, what specific effects of these groups are most beneficial, and whether groups enhance isolation or discrimination. Results indicate that network groups have a positive overall impact on career optimism of Black managers, and that this occurs primarily via enhanced mentoring. Network groups have no effect on discrimination, either positive or negative. There are some indications of greater isolation, but also some indications of greater contact with Whites.

“Out” in Columbus: A Geospatial Analysis of the Neighborhood-Level Distribution of Gay and Lesbian Households

Research on urban growth and vitality suggests that gay men concentrate in high quality of life cities, indicated by high–tech development, diversity, and city amenities. The goal of this paper is to evaluate the degree to which theories of urban renewal and economic development—including Floridas creative class—can explain the neighborhood–level distribution of lesbians and gays within a city. Using 2000 U.S. Census data, tax parcel data, and other data sources, we conduct multivariate spatial regression to investigate the distribution of lesbians and gays in Columbus, Ohio, and their relationship to diversity, openness, and amenities. While the neighborhood distribution of gay men is associated with many of these characteristics, lesbian housing patterns are not. We do, however, find both lesbians and gays concentrate in tracts with other gay and lesbian households and that gay residential patterns are influenced by gay concentration in neighboring tracts suggesting that geographic clustering may also be a protective mechanism. “Fuera del closet” en Columbus: un análisis geoespacial de la distribución de los hogares de gays y lesbianas a nivel barrial (Karen L. Hayslett y Melinda D. Kane) Resumen Los estudios sobre crecimiento y vitalidad urbana indican que los hombres gay tienden a concentrarse en ciudades con altos niveles de calidad de vida. Las mismas cuentan con altos niveles de desarrollo tecnológico, diversidad y servicios urbanos. El objetivo de este artículo es evaluar hasta qué punto las teorías sobre renovación urbana y desarrollo económico–incluyendo la teoría de Florida sobre la clase creativa–pueden explicar la distribución de los gays y lesbianas a nivel barrial dentro de una ciudad. Usando los datos del censo de Estados Unidos del 2000, datos fiscales sobre la propiedad inmobiliaria y otras fuentes, llevamos a cabo una regresión espacial multivariada para analizar la distribución de lesbianas y gays en Columbus, Ohio y la forma en que dicha distribución se relaciona con los niveles de diversidad, apertura y servicios urbanos. Aunque la distribución de los hogares gay está relacionada con estos factores, no sucede lo mismo con los patrones de distribución de las viviendas de parejas lesbianas. Sin embargo, sí encontramos que tanto los hogares de lesbianas como los de gays se concentran en secciones donde ya hay hogares de gays y lesbianas y que los patrones residenciales gays son influenciados por la concentración de hogares gays en secciones adyacentes; lo cual sugiere que la concentración geográfica también puede constituir un mecanismo de protección.

You've Won, Now What? The Influence of Legal Change on Gay and Lesbian Mobilization, 1974–1999

Research on movement outcomes primarily examines the conditions under which social movements influence the law. Less attention has been given to the influence that legal change might have on the movements subsequent development. Does the achievement of legal goals help the movement mobilize or does the movement experience decline once change occurs? Using unique measures of gay and lesbian mobilization, I investigate the influence of legal change on the number of gay and lesbian movement organizations in each state from 1974 to 1999. Results demonstrate that the impact of legal change is contingent on the type of reform achieved and the cultural context surrounding the decision.

Urban Metabolism and Payment for Ecosystem Services: History and Policy Analysis of the New York City Water Supply

The interaction of urban cores and their rural hinterlands is considered from an ecological–economic perspective. The concept of ‘urban metabolism’ motivates discussion of urban dependence on geographic regions outside their borders for both sources of inputs and as waste sinks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys 1989 Surface-Water Treatment Rule forces cities to consider the ecosystem services preserved by appropriate land-use management inside suburban and rural watersheds used for urban water supplies. A case study of New York City and its water supply from the Catskill–Delaware watershed system is used to explore these themes. Compensation from the city to watershed communities may be an effective way to motivate protection of those ecosystem functions. Both direct payments and investment in economic development projects consistent with water quality goals are reviewed as policy instruments.

Finding “Safe” Campuses: Predicting the Presence of LGBT Student Groups at North Carolina Colleges and Universities

A key indicator of a supportive campus climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students is the existence of an LGBT student organization. This article integrates the research on high school LGBT policies and programs with social movement studies of campus activism to examine the characteristics associated with the existence of university-approved LGBT groups on North Carolina campuses. Drawing on data from the National Center for Education Statistics, campus Web sites, and other sources, logistic regression is used to examine the importance of public opinion, campus and community resources, and the institutional context in predicting the location of these student groups.

Turning to the Courts: A Quantitative Analysis of the Gay and Lesbian Movement’s Use of Legal Mobilization

We quantitatively examine the factors influencing the lesbian and gay movement’s involvement in state-level appellate cases through an analysis of Lambda Legal’s judicial agenda from 1981 through 2000. We combine a list of state appellate cases involving gay and lesbian rights during this period with data from Lambda’s “Docket Update” to create a data set that identifies which cases Lambda was involved in. We theorize that Lambda’s involvement will be shaped by the potential policy implications of the case, the organization’s ability to influence the outcome, and organizational membership concerns. Using logistic regression, we examine the effect of case characteristics, the political and cultural climate in the state, and variations in the state’s lesbian and gay community on the likelihood of Lambda participating in a particular state-level case. We add to the understanding of movement tactical decisions and the factors influencing the likelihood of legal mobilization.

Mobilizing in Response to Threat: The Case of the Ex-Gay Movement

Purpose – In this paper, we contribute to the study of conservative, reactive mobilization through a study of the ex-gay movement in the United States. Design/methodology/approach – Using state-level event history analyses over 25 years, we examine the role of threat, resources, and political opportunity in the formation of the first ex-gay organization in each state. Findings – Our results demonstrate the importance of threat, particularly perceived challenges to traditional definitions of morality, in the formation of ex-gay groups. We find little support for either resource mobilization or political opportunity. Research limitations/implications – This study indicates a need for further research on sociocultural threat and the ex-gay movement. Originality/value – It expands scholarship on countermovement emergence, conservative and reactive countermovements, and the role of threat (especially sociocultural threat) in movements.

Organization, Opportunity, and the Shifting Politics of Employment Discrimination:

Despite the major breakthrough for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) activists on marriage equality, the fight against employment discrimination remains elusive. Whether one is protected from discrimination in employment on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity depends on where one lives and is contingent on a patchwork of state and local policies. In this article, we investigate the adoption of state nondiscrimination laws that are inclusive of sexual orientation between 1980 and 2009. Findings from our event history analysis of policy adoption contribute to the study of social movements and LGBT politics in three ways. First, and consistent with social movement theory, we find countermovement opposition to gay rights as well as pro-LGBT political opportunities to be critical. Second, we find organization and opportunity to fluctuate in importance over time, underscoring the need for historically informed analyses that seriously consider when key actors should matter for social movement outcomes. Third, we produce new state-level estimates of public opinion of nondiscrimination laws. We show that while very high levels of public support are common for states that adopt nondiscrimination laws, they are not enough on their own, particularly in the face of opposition.