Grace Kao's Research

My research focuses on race, ethnic, and immigrant differences in educational outcomes among youth.  Earlier work focused on adolescents, and my collaborators included Marta Tienda[Maurice P. During '22 Professor in Demographic Studies, Professor of Sociology and Public Policy], Princeton University], Barbara Schneider [John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in Educational Administration], William Kandel[Research Scientist, Economics Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture], and Jennifer Thompson.  More recently, (along with collaborator Kara Joyner[Associate Professor of Sociology, Bowling Green State University] and former students Elizabeth Vaquera[Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of South Florida], Jamie Doyle[Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania], and Hongyu Wang[Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Macau]) I have examined interracial romance and friendship among youth using a large nationally-representative sample of youth.  I have also worked with students Rachelle Brunn and former student Lindsay Rutherford.  Currently (along with Ph.D. students Kristin Turney, Elizabeth Raleigh, and Elizabeth Lee), I am examining how obstacles facing immigrant parents and the parenting decisions they make affect their very young children.  I have also begun to work on educational achievement of rural children in China with my colleague, Emily Hannum and former students Yuping Zhang[Assistant Professor of Sociology, Lehigh University]and Shengchao Yu.  I have also begun working with Ph.D. students Ruth Burke and Jessica McCrory. 

My research has been supported by NICHD, The Spencer Foundation, and Russell Sage Foundation.  I currently serve on the Boards of Social Science Quarterly, Social Science Research, and Social Psychology Quarterly.  I am also a Board Member of the Population Association of America. 

Grace Kao's CV (as of March 12, 2009)

Research papers:

Lee, Elizabeth and Grace Kao.  Forthcoming 2009 or 2010.  "Less Bang for the Buck?  Cultural Capital and Immigrant Status Effects on Kindergarten Academic Outcomes."  Poetics.

Turney, Kristin and Grace Kao. Forthcoming 2009 or 2010.  "Assessing the Private Safety Net: Social Support among Minority Immigrant Parents"  The Sociological Quarterly

Kao, Grace.  Forthcoming 2009. “Impact of Temporary Labor Migration on Schooling among Mexican Children.”  The World of Child Labor: An Historical and Regional Survey, Edited by Hugh D. Hindman.  Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, Inc.

Kao, Grace and Kristin Turney.  Forthcoming 2009.     “Adolescents and Schooling: Differences by Race, Ethnicity, and Immigrant Status.”  Adolescent Development.  (Edited by Margaret Beale Spencer, Dena Phillips Swanson, and Malik Edwards.) 

Turney, Kristin and Grace Kao.  2009.  “Barriers to School Involvement: Are Immigrant Parents Disadvantaged?” Journal of Educational Research.  102:257-271.  

Brunn, Rachelle and Grace Kao.  2008. "Where are all the Boys? Examining the Black Gender Gap in Post-Secondary Attainment"? Du Bois Review. 5: 1-24.

Vaquera, Elizabeth and Grace Kao. 2008. “Do You Like Me as Much as I Like You? Friendship Reciprocity and Its Effects on School Outcomes among Adolescents.” Social Science Research. 

Doyle, Jamie M. and Grace Kao. 2007. “Are Racial Identities of Multiracials Stable? Changing Self-Identification among Single and Multiple Race Individuals.” Social Psychology Quarterly. 70: 405-423.

 Zhang, Yuping, Grace Kao,and Emily Hannum.  2007. “Mother’s Educational Expectations for Sons and Daughters in Rural China.” Comparative Education Review. 51:131-157.

Doyle, Jamie M. and Grace Kao. 2007. “Friendship Choices of Multiracial Adolescents: Homophily, Blending, or Amalgamation?” Social Science Research. 36:633-653.

Kao, Grace and Lindsay Taggart Rutherford. 2007. “Does Social Capital Still Matter? Immigrant Minority Disadvantage in Social Capital and Its Effects on Academic Achievement.” Sociological Perspectives. 50:27-52.

Wang, Hongyu and Grace Kao. 2007. “Does Higher Socioeconomic Status Increase Contact Between Minorities and Whites? An Examination of Interracial Romantic Relationships among Adolescents.” Social Science Quarterly. 88: 146-164.

Kao, Grace and Kara Joyner. 2006. “Do Asian and Hispanic Adolescents Practice Panethnicity inFriendship Choices?”Social Science Quarterly. 87:48-68.  

Kao, Grace.  2006. “Where are the Asian and Hispanic Victims of Katrina? A Metaphor for Invisible Minorities in Contemporary Racial Discourse.” Du Bois Review. 3:223-231. 

Vaquera, Elizabeth and Grace Kao. 2006. “The Implications of Choosing No-Race on the Salience of Hispanic Identity: How Racial and Ethnic Background Intersect among Hispanic Adolescents.” The Sociological Quarterly. 47:375-396.

Wang, Hongyu, Grace Kao and Kara Joyner. 2006. “Stability of Interracial and Intraracial Romantic Relationships among Adolescents.”  Social Science Research. 35: 435-456.

Vaquera, Elizabeth and Grace Kao. 2006. “The Implications of Choosing No-Race on the Salience of Hispanic Identity: How Racial and Ethnic Background Intersect among Hispanic Adolescents.” The Sociological Quarterly. 47:375-396.

Joyner, Kara and Grace Kao. 2005. “Interracial Relationships and the Transition to Adulthood.” American Sociological Review. 70: 563-581.

Vaquera, Elizabeth and Grace Kao. 2005. “Private and Public Displays of Affection Among Interracial and Intraracial Adolescent Couples.” Social Science Quarterly. 86:485-508.

Kao, Grace and Kara Joyner. 2004. “Do Race and Ethnicity Matter among Friends? Activities among Interracial, Interethnic, and Intraethnic Adolescent Friends.” The Sociological Quarterly. 45:557-573.

Kao, Grace. 2004. “Parental Influences on the Educational Outcomes of Immigrant Youth.” International Migration Review. 38: 427-449.

Kao, Grace. 2004.“Social Capital and Its Relevance to Minority and Immigrant Populations.” Sociology of Education. 77:172-175.

Kao, Grace and Jennifer Thompson. 2003. “Race and Ethnic Stratification in Educational Achievement and Attainment.” Annual Review of Sociology. 29: 417-442.

Kao, Grace. 2002.  “Ethnic Differences in Parental College Aspirations for Youth.” Research in Sociology of Education: Schooling and Social Capital in Diverse Cultures (Edited by Bruce Fuller and Emily Hannum). 13: 85-104.

Kandel, William and Grace Kao. 2001. “The Impact of Temporary Labor Migration on Mexican Students’ Academic Aspirations and Performance.” International Migration Review. 35: 1205-1231.

Kao, Grace. 2001. “Race and Ethnic Differences in Peer Influences on Educational Achievement.” In The Problem of the Century: Racial Stratification in the U.S. at the Millennium. (Edited by Douglas Massey and Elijah Anderson). Pp. 437-460. New York: Russell Sage.

Joyner, Kara and Grace Kao. 2000. “School Racial Composition and Adolescent Racial Homophily.” Social Science Quarterly. 81: 810-825.

Kao, Grace. “Group Images and Possible Selves Among Adolescents: Linking Stereotypes to Expectations by Race and Ethnicity.”  Sociological Forum.  15:407-430.  

Kandel, William and Grace Kao. 2000. “Shifting Orientations: How U.S. Labor Migration Affects Children’s Aspirations in Mexican Migrant Communities.” Social Science Quarterly. 81:16-32.

Kao, Grace. 1999. “Racial Identity and Academic Performance: An Examination of Biracial Asian and African American Youth.” Journal of Asian American Studies. 2:223-249.

Kao, Grace.  1999.   “Psychological Well-Being and Educational Achievement Among Immigrant Youth.” Pp. 410-477 in Children of Immigrants: Health, Adjustment, and Public Assistance. Edited by Donald J. Hernandez. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press. Results also summarized in Trends in the Well-Being of America’s Children & Youth 1998, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Kao, Grace and Marta Tienda. 1998.  “Educational Aspirations among Minority Youth.”  American Journal of Education.  106: 349-384. 

Kao, Grace, Marta Tienda, and Barbara Schneider.  1996. “Racial and Ethnic Variation in Educational Achievement.”  Research in Sociology of Education and Socialization.  11:263-297.

Kao, Grace and Marta Tienda. 1995. “Optimism and Achievement: The Educational Performance of Immigrant Youth.” Social Science Quarterly. 76: 1-19.  (Reprinted in The New Immigration: An Interdisciplinary Reader. (Edited by Marcelo Suarez-Orozco).  2005.  New York: Routledge).

Kao, Grace. 1995.  "Asian Americans as Model Minorities?  A Look at Their Educational Achievement."  American Journal of Education.  103:121-159. 

Book Reviews (2006 to present):

Kao, Grace. 2008. Book Review of Das Gupta, Monisha.  Unruly Immigrants: Rights, Activism, and Transnational South Asian Politics in the United States.  American Journal of Sociology. 114:558-59.

Kao, Grace. 2007. Book Review of Maria W.L. Chee, Taiwanese American Transnational Families: Women and Kin Work. Ethnic and Racial Studies. 30: 507-508.

Kao, Grace. 2007. Book Review of Cynthia Feliciano, Immigrant Selection and the Education of the Second Generation.  Contemporary Sociology. 35:471-472.

Kao, Grace. 2006. Book Review of Vivian S. Louie, Compelled to Excel: Immigration, Education, and Opportunity among Chinese Americans.  American Journal of Education. 113:158-160.

Kao, Grace. 2006. Book Review of Lisa Sun-Hee Park, Consuming Citizenship: Children of Asian Immigrant Entrepreneurs. Social Forces. 85:1040-1041.

Kao, Grace. 2000. Book Review of Mia Tuan,  Forever Foreigners or Honorary Whites? The Asian Ethnic Experience Today. American Journal of Sociology. 105:1219-1220.

Kao, Grace. 1998. Book Review of William Petersen, Ethnicity Counts. International Migration Review. 32: 495-96.

Kao, Grace. 1996. Book Review of Margaret A. Gibson and John U. Ogbu, Minority Status and Schooling: A Comparative Study of Immigrant and Involuntary Minorities. Comparative Education Review. 40:84-86.