The Battle over Liquor Stores in South Central Los Angeles: The Management of an Interminority Conflict

In: Urban affairs review, Volume 31, Issue 6, p. 710-737

Abstract

As cities become more diverse, interminority relations are increasingly important. An examination of the controversy between blacks and Korean Americans over liquor stores in South Central Los Angeles reveals some obstacles to rainbow coalitions. But the ability of key leaders to sustain a nonracial discourse also allowed the conflict to be managed within certain bounds. This case study indicates the need for more subtle distinctions than simply coalition and conflict in interminority relationships and the value of more fully exploring the different ways in which interminority conflict can be managed.