In public administration and public policy, can theory capture caste?

Abstract

June of 2020 brought about mass protests on behalf on the Black Lives Matter movement. Protests that caused many industries and institutions to reevaluate the role they have played in perpetuating institutional forms of racism. This article explores the current state of Public Administration and Public Policy theories and frameworks and evaluates the fields understanding of how racial caste and racial socialization impacts the administrative state. It argues that the only way for the field of Public Administration and Public Policy, through scholarship and teaching, to rise to the challenge of addressing systemic and institutionalized forms of racial discrimination that permeates society and the administrative state is for scholars to develop a deeper understanding of racism and its impact on individuals, organizations, and institutions.

Keywords:

• Organizational behavior
• race
• caste
• socialization
• equity

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ose A. Agho

Ose A. Agho is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Colorado-Denver.