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Japanese American wages, 1940-1990

Cooper, Molly Malloy
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1064341404

Abstract Details

2003, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Economics.
This dissertation examines the evolution of Japanese American males’ wages relative to those of their white, native-born counterparts. The age-adjusted ratio of their average wages was less than 65% in 1940 and had risen to just over 100% in 1990. Five main questions are addressed: (1) Why were the wages of Japanese Americans so low in 1940 and 1950? (2) How did their relative wages rise so rapidly afterwards? (3) What role did the internment play in the wage gaps from 1950 to 1980? (4) Did internment effects vary by internees’ age at the time of their incarceration? (5) How unique is the Japanese experience in the U.S. labor market? This dissertation finds that large portions of the significant Japanese-white wage gaps before 1980 cannot be explained by differences in measurable characteristics such as years of schooling and experience. The large gaps immediately before and after World War II were due, in large part, to intense discrimination directed at Japanese Americans. As this discrimination abated over time, the wage gap narrowed. The long run effects of internment, including the loss of human capital embodied in three years exclusion from the labor force, adversely affected wages of adolescent internees until at least 1960 and adult internees as late as 1970, contributing to the aggregate wage gap. The evolution of Japanese American wages is shown to be somewhat similar to that of Chinese Americans but different from that of Mexican Americans. The Chinese-white wage gap in 1940 was similar to that for Japanese Americans, also due to the impacts of discriminatory laws and policies directed against them. Although a small wage gap persists, it is attributable to a steady flow of recent immigrants who have not yet assimilated into the U.S. labor market. Recently, U.S.-born Chinese men have had labor market outcomes strikingly similar to those of Japanese men. The Mexican-white wage gap widened throughout the period studied, but most of these gaps are explained by differences in years of schooling.
Richard Steckel (Advisor)
143 p.
Economics, History
Japanese American wages; Effects of Japanese Internment; Anti-Japanese discrimination

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Cooper, M. M. (2003). Japanese American wages, 1940-1990 [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1064341404

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Cooper, Molly. Japanese American wages, 1940-1990. 2003. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1064341404.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Cooper, Molly. "Japanese American wages, 1940-1990." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2003. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1064341404

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1064341404
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© 2003, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.