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Affirmative Action – Benefits Overweighing Costs
Affirmative action, an inherently ethical policy, is, paradoxically, a subject of ethical controversy. The intent of affirmative action is the elimination of discrimination against minority groups through the extension of educational and employment opportunities which would have otherwise been unavailable to them. As Gamliel explains, affirmative action aims towards the leveling of the playing field by extending minority group members opportunities which are typically only available to members of the hegemonic socio-economic and ethnic classes (685-86). It is, therefore, ethical because it intends to equalize between all, irrespective of ethnic, racial and gender group affiliation. Many disagree, however, and, as Howard points out, denounce affirmative action as discriminatory (16-17). Although the implementation of affirmative action may entail discrimination, it is justified in terms of its intent and outcomes.
Affirmative action entails a level of discrimination. As Howard explains, by the very nature of the quota system which it espouses, affirmative action means that some qualified job or college applicants may be overlooked in favor of less qualified ones, simply because the former are affiliated to the dominant socio-economic group while the latter to the less privileged groups (17-18). Added to that, Gray (29) and Baker (148) assert affirmative action to be further discriminatory because it assumes that minority group members need extra help in order to succeed and that they cannot do so on their own merits.
While there is a degree of discrimination in affirmative action, it is justified in terms of its intent. The intent of affirmative action is to afford members of minority groups educational and career opportunities which, because of their group affiliation, would have been very difficult, maybe even impossible for them to obtain (Banerji, 24-25). From this perspective, therefore, affirmative action appears to be consistent with constitutional provisions regarding the availability of equal opportunities for all citizens, regardless of group affiliation. A second intent is negate discrimination against minority group members. Again, as Banerji highlights, society is inherently racist in the sense that employees prefer to hire white males and colleges prefer white male applicants. This racism may not be overt and, as a matter of fact, may not even be Conscious; instead, it is an innate attitude rooted in the very nature of society itself (Banerji, 24-25). By dictating the imperatives of diversity and by establishing diversity quotas, the intent of affirmative action is the negation of the inherent discriminatory attitudes which may limit the opportunities available to members of minority groups. In other words, even though affirmative action may mean that a few applicants are overlooked in favor of less qualified members of minority groups, this is justified by the intent of affirmative action. That intent is the provision of equal opportunities and the undermining of discrimination.
The outcome of affirmative action further establishes it as ethical. American society is a highly diverse one but, until recently, that diversity was not reflected in the country’s institutions. That is its economic and its educational institutions. The consequences, as Vasquez and Jones point out, was not just the increased impoverishment and marginalization of disadvantaged groups but the absence of diversity from the country’s institutions. Educational institutions and workplaces were, quite simply stated, not an accurate reflection of society’s diversity (Vasquez and Jones, 146-147). The outcome of affirmative action was the correction of the described situations. Institutions became diversified, society’s marginalized groups were given the opportunity for socio-economic mobility and, importantly, inter-ethnic relations began to develop. Ethnic diversity in both the workplace and educational institutions meant that the members of the different groups came into contact with one another, began to develop a first-hand knowledge of one another and, as a result, gradually began to discard their anti-ethnic stereotypes. Consequently, and as Vasquez and Jones argue, the outcome of affirmative action justifies its practice of some levels of discrimination (146-147).
Proceeding from the above stated, it may very well be argued that the diversity which characterizes American educational institutions is a positive outcome of affirmative action. According to Bollinger, there is no doubt that the ethnic and racial diversity which currently characterizes the nation’s higher education institutions are a direct outcome of affirmative action. Quite simply stated, were it not for the quota system established by affirmative action, the potential for diversity would have been very slim (Bollinger 20). The value of the mentioned diversity does not simply lie in the fact that it has transformed the nation’s educational institutions into a more accurate reflection of the heterogeneous social reality but that it is a Learning experience in itself. The resultant close racial and ethnic interactions allow members of the different races to know one another from outside the confines of stereotypes and prejudices and, importantly, to learn from the other’s experiences (Bollinger 20). Consequently, diversity is educational and contributes to the development of healthy and constructive inter-ethnic and interracial relations.
Added to the above stated, the workplace diversity which affirmative action has contributed to the realization of, has had a similarly constructive impact on race relations. Again, as Bollinger points out, workplace diversity imposes the imperatives of inter-ethnic and interracial cooperation for mutual benefit. Such cooperation, quite effectively, leads to the erosion of racial and ethnic tensions, as which have been engendered by misunderstanding and stereotypes. It, thus, leads to the development of a healthier society (Bollinger 20). In other words, affirmative action is an ethical policy insofar as it leads to the development of such workplace diversity as which disputes stereotypes and diffuses racial and ethnic tensions.
In conclusion, affirmative action is an ethical policy. Certainly, and as has been conceded to in the argument, its implementation may lead to limited injustices and discrimination. In consideration, however, of its harms versus its benefits, as measured through its intent and outcomes, affirmative action is an ethical policy.
Bibliography
Baker, E.R. (2007) `Affirmative action in American culture.’ Reviews in American History, 35(1), 146-154.
Banerji, S. (2007) `Black immigrant study puts spotlight back on affirmative action debate.’ Issues in Higher Education, 24(1), 24-25.
Bollinger, L.C. (2007) `Why diversity matters.’ Chronicle of Higher Education, 53(39), 20-20.
Gamliel, E. (2007) `To accept or to reject: The effect of framing on attitudes toward affirmative action.’ Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 37(4), 683-702.
Gray, M.J. (2007) `Nationwide attack on affirmative action.’ Black Enterprise, 37(7), 29-29.
Howard, G. R. (2007) `As diversity grows, so must we.’ Educational Leadership, 64(6), 16-22.
Vasquez, M. J. T. and Jones, J. M. (2007) `Diversity is a compelling interest, and affirmative action is an important strategy for achieving it.’ American Psychologist, 62(2), 146-147.
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