At the Juncture of Administrative Evil and Administrative Racism: The Obstacles and Opportunities for Public Administrators in the United States to Uphold Civil Rights in the Twenty‐First Century

• Published date: 01 November 2020
• Author: Brian N. Williams,Brendin Duckett
• Date: 01 November 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13279

1038 Public Administration Review • No vember | D ecember 2 020

Public Administration Review,

Vol. 80, Iss. 6, pp. 1038–1050. © 2020 by

The American Society for Public Administration.

DOI: 10.1111/puar.13279.

At the Juncture of Administrative Evil and Administrative

Racism: The Obstacles and Opportunities for Public

Administrators in the United States to Uphold Civil Rights in

the Twenty-First Century

Abstract: We use a case-study approach to examine the obstacles and opportunities for public administrators who

seek to uphold the civil and human rights of residents in the United States during the twenty-first century. In

particular, our analysis of two cases—one historical and the other contemporary—reveals what occurs at the juncture

of administrative evil and administrative racism, where politicians, policymakers, and those who implement policies

engage in intentional and functional acts that harm marginalized populations. These actions, which discriminate

against and oppress people and communities of color, are antithetical to the core ideals of American democracy and the

central tenet of contemporary public administration: social equity. We conclude by offering practical and pedagogical

prescriptions to strengthen social equity for all members of the American public in the hope of achieving Martin Luther

King’s dream of a Beloved Community.

Evidence for Practice

• Public administrators must understand the role the profession has played—as a result of their actions and

inactions—in inflicting pain and suffering across various segments of American society.

• More emphasis must be placed on preparing, encouraging, and supporting practitioners and public

administration students to serve the diverse public within the United States in an ethical and equitable

manner.

• Addressing the American dilemma of race and modern democracy will require more than effective, efficient,

and economical public administration; it will also demand ethical public administration anchored by the

value of social equity.

Keywords and Phrases

administrative ethics; administrative evil; administrative racism; courageous followership; professional ethos;

social equity

Understanding the role of public administrators

has been a concern since the “founding” of

this field. In The Study of Administration,

Woodrow Wilson noted that the field of politics aims

to answer the question, “Who shall make law and

what shall that law be?” while the scope of work for

public administration is to focus on the question,

“How should the law be administered?” (1887).

Wilson argued that the objective of administrative

study is to first, discover what government can

properly and successfully do, and secondly, how to

do those things with enlightenment, equity, and

maximum efficiency, and at minimum cost. These two

questions have guided the theoretical development

of public affairs scholars and the practical application

of American public administrators for more

than 130 years (Cox, Buck, and Morgan 2016;

Frederickson 2005; Henry 2017). In some respects,

progress has been made, while in other areas such

as racial equity, which are dependent upon ethical

behavior in public organizations, challenges are still

apparent (Adams and Balfour 2014; Farmbry 2010;

Frederickson 1990; Hart 1974; Johnson and

Svara 2015; Norman-Major 2011). These challenges

can have an impact on public perception and public

opinion.

The 2019 report on Race in America by the Pew

Research Center found that 56 percent of US adults

say President Trump has made race relations worse.

This percentage is more than double the 25 percent

who expressed similar sentiments regarding President

Obama. Similarly, the report found that a plurality

of adult Americans says that expressing racist views

has grown more acceptable since President Trump

was elected and a majority of these same adults—58

percent overall, 56 percent of Whites, 71 percent of

Blacks, and 60 percent of Hispanics—say that race

Brian N. Williams Brendin Duckett

Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy,

TheUniversity of Virginia

University of Virginia

Brendin Duckett graduated from the

University of Virginia with a B.A. in Public

Policy in 2019. He currently works at

AllianceBernstein, an asset management

firm, on the Fixed Income team. In addition,

Brendin serves as a Board Member and

Director of Scholar Engagement for the Otis

and Rosie Brown Foundation. Brendin’s

long-term goal is to unlock the potential

in communities across the United States

through economic development and

education.

Email: bduckettduckett@gmail.com

Brian N. Williams is an associate professor

of public policy in the Frank Batten School

of Leadership and Public Policy at the

University of Virginia. He serves as founder

and director of the Public Engagement in

Governance Looking, Listening and Learning

Laboratory (PEGLLLab). As a scholar

committed to action research, he examines

the interplay between race, policing, and

public governance. His efforts are devoted

to redesigning policies and practices that

improve police–community relations.

Email: bnw9q@virginia.edu

Research

Symposium:

Pursuit of Civil

Rights and Public

Sector Values in

the 21st Century:

Examining

Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr.’s Vision in

the Trump Era