The Link Between Educational Socialization, Descriptive Representation, and Substantive Representation
2025-06-09
This research note explores how educational socialization influences descriptive representatives' substantive representation. Specifically, we contend that Black legislators who attended HBCUs are more likely than their non‐HBCU Black colleagues to represent co‐racial political interests, perhaps because of the cultural and institutional environments unique to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Using an original dataset of over 18,000 congressional bills introduced across the 114th through the 116th Congresses, we find that Black legislators who attended HBCUs are more likely to introduce bills for Black communities relative to co‐racial legislators who attended other higher education institutions. This research explains how previous college experiences may influence legislators' representation styles.