THE SIMPSON,O.J. TRIAL - RESEARCH AND THEORY ON THE DYNAMICS OF ETHNICITY - INTRODUCTION TO THE ISSUE

The criminal trial of O. J. Simpson, his acquittal, and the subsequent public reaction have provided an opportunity to apply social science models and methods in ways that have enhanced our understanding of the complexity and dynamics of ethnicity. Most of the articles in this is sue focus on ethnicity and go beyond simplistic analyses of ethnic dif ferences in responses to O. J. Simpson and the trial. These analyses i nform us that ethnicity is best viewed as a proxy for a host of life e xperiences, beliefs, and attitudes. The knowledge gained from these ap plications demonstrates that social scientists can contribute to the u nderstanding of major public events when issues of ethnicity are invol ved. This article provides an introduction to the dynamics of ethnicit y and overviews of the articles in this collection.