This study describes trends in occupational sex and race segregation simultaneously to determine if, from 1940 to 1990, there has been convergence or divergence in labor market outcomes. Results are presented in light of both modernization theory and institutional/queue theory. Modernization theory suggests that over time, occupational segregation will decrease, while institutional/queue theory suggests segregation will not decline due to rigidities and barriers in the occupational structure. Recent conceptualization of segregation consisting of vertical and horizontal segregation is also tested. Log multiplicative models are used to analyze occupational segregation in nine broad occupational classifications, as well as within each classification.; Results on broad and detailed occupational segregation suggest that there are three processes that allocate race/sex groups into occupations. The processes vary within the detailed occupations, however. Segregation declines in two of the three queues over time but the pattern of segregation and the overall queuing of race/sex groups do not change. At the detailed level, the level of segregation is much higher than at the broad level. The pattern of segregation at the detailed level suggests that there is little re-segregation occurring over time; that ghetto-ization is the more typical pattern. Aspects of both modernization and institutional theories are supported. Although one queue is restricted to be a vertical queue in these analyses, the concept of vertical/horizontal segregation is not supported by this analysis.
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