"What makes affirmative action morally (un)justified? That is this book's core question. Its main contribution consists in a meticulous scrutiny of the strength of the six main arguments for-i.e., the compensation, the anti-discrimination, the equality of opportunity, the role model, the diversity, and the integration-based justifications-and the five main objections to affirmative action-i.e., the reverse discrimination, the stigma, the mismatch, the publicity, and the merit-based objections-and of how these arguments relate to one another. The book argues that all of the five main objections to affirmative action are either flawed or quite limited in terms of their implications. With regard to the arguments in favor of affirmative action, the book shows why the anti-discrimination and equality of opportunity-based arguments provide strong justifications for many affirmative action schemes. In light thereof and the fact that the five most influential arguments against affirmative action are all flawed or otherwise weak, the overall claim defended in the book is that many of the schemes that people have in mind when they discuss affirmative action (many of which are presently on the retreat) are justified. However, the book also emphasizes that any definitive answer to the question Is affirmative action morally (un)justified? must rest on a wide range of empirical results in the social sciences etc., e.g., about the likely effects of various affirmative action schemes; and that the question, when posed in such general form (unlike when it is asked about specific schemes of affirmative action), admits of no direct positive or negative answer"--

Argues that affirmative action actually harms minority students and that the movement started in the late 1960s is only a symbolic change that has become mired in posturing, concealment, and pork-barrel earmarks.

Affirmative action is one of the most controversial policies of our time. This book provides a succinct but comprehensive account of the historical background of affirmative action, including the complicated racial history that gave rise to it and the changing meaning of affirmative action in government and law, giving special attention to the role of the civil rights movement. The book traces the major court decisions that have defined how affirmative action policies in education and employment may be used and that have defined the limitations of these policies. It gives particular attention to the emergence of the diversity rationale and to how this became the central legal justification for affirmative action. The book describes how the Supreme Court has been as divided as American society in general on the question of affirmative action. It discusses the relevance of the changing composition of the American population for affirmative action, giving special attention to the Latino and Asian groups that have been the greatest part of demographic change in the United States. It considers the ways in which diversity has become a complicated concept in this changing society. These pages also devote attention to arguments that racial and ethnic affirmative action should be replaced by efforts of socioeconomic affirmative action that would be more relevant to contemporary American society. Following this discussion of social and economic change, this brief volume examines the different ways in which affirmative action is a problematic approach to social inequality. The book suggests that inequality is deeply rooted in social networks and cultural patterns, and that inequality therefore does not lend itself to redesign through planning. It suggests, further, that affirmative action is based on the idea that upward mobility can be selectively encouraged across groups, without recognizing that universal upward movement is not possible. It provides an even-handed consideration of the mismatch, qualification and stigma arguments. Finally, the book looks at the possible future of affirmative action, considering pressures working against preferential policies in employment, education and the substantial support that these policies will continue to have.

Christopher Edley, who served as point man for President Clinton's review of affirmative action, offers a spirited, lively analysis of one of the most vexing and contented issues in politics today. As he did for the President, so here, in a cogent, persuasive book for general readers and serious voters, Edley considers all the relevant legal data, social-science evidence, public-policy developments, and private-sector practice, then makes his eloquent, powerful case.

Hailed at the time of its original publication as a thorough and balanced debate of one of America's most vexing political issues, Affirmative Action employs a pro and con format to provide a concise introduction to this divisive debate. In a new, substantive introduction, Richard F. Tomasson offers a short history of the affirmative action debate and addresses new developments since the book's original appearance. In Part One, authors Crosby and Herzberger draw on state and federal court decisions, federal decrees, and university practices to support affirmative action to counter racial and gender bias. In Part Two, Tomasson cites the same kinds of evidence to argue against affirmative action programs.

Many White people, and some conservative Black people, believe that affirmative action programs are unfairly depriving more deserving Whites of jobs and education opportunities. The author argues that is a myth. For example, University admissions data demonstrates that, despite affirmative action rhetoric, there remains systemic bias against Black students. Sociological data on criminal record, race, and employment, found that White people with a criminal record had a better chance of getting a call back, than Black people without one. Renowned Professor of Social Work Dr Rudolph Alexander Jr. analyses many examples which demonstrate that the claim that affirmative action programs have led to unfair discrimination against White people of equal ability, is a myth. Though not always comfortable reading, the book is an important addition to the literature on equality, diversity, and critical race theory.