In this dissertation, I explore retirement income using a sample of Black and White men and women over age 62 who draw Social Security. I examine three of the main sources of retirement income – Social Security, occupational pensions, and private assets – to understand gender and race variation, including the simultaneous effects of disadvantages experienced based on gender and race. I also explore a comprehensive set of explanations for gender and race variation, specifically experiences related to the paid labor force, family, and health. To guide this research, I draw on two perspectives: cumulative (dis)advantage and welfare state. First, I use the cumulative (dis)advantage perspective to explain how experiences in earlier life can contribute to – and magnify – inequalities in later life. I also draw on the welfare state literature to shed light on the ways labor force, family, and health experiences may contribute to retirement income, and how the welfare state can contribute to gender and race inequalities. Together, these perspectives shed light on gender and race differences in retirement income and possible experiences that contribute to explanations for these differences. Using the 2010 data from Version N of the RAND HRS data file, I conduct bivariate and multivariate analyses, specifically mediation analyses and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition regression analyses. My dissertation has three main findings. First, retirement income varies by gender and race, but race variation is more consistent and substantial. Second, explanations for gender and race variation in retirement income differ based on type of retirement income (e.g., occupational pension coverage), though labor force characteristics most consistently contribute to explanations. Third, explanations for race variation depend on gender and vice-versa, suggesting that experiences matter differently for White women, Black women, White men, and Black men. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2016. / June 2, 2016. / Includes bibliographical references. / Anne Barrett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Patricia Born, University Representative; John R. Reynolds, Committee Member; Koji Ueno, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_366111 |
| Contributors | Raphael, Alexandra E. (Alexandra Elise) (authoraut), Barrett, Anne E., 1971- (professor directing dissertation), Born, Patricia, 1964- (university representative), Reynolds, John R., 1966- (committee member), Ueno, Koji (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Social Sciences and Public Policy (degree granting college), Department of Sociology (degree granting department) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (151 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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