Affirmative Action - Essay Example

What is affirmative action and why is it such a controversial topic in the U.S.? Outline the arguments in favor of and against affirmative action. Do you think affirmative action should be ended in the U.S.? Why or why not?

Affirmative action has been developed in order to ensure equal status on the basis of race, creed, color, and national origin (Cohen, and Sterba 12).

According to Beckwith and Jones (11), “Affirmative action policies take a large variety of forms, ranging from making recruiting efforts in ethnic communities to mandating a specific number of positions be set aside for minorities.”

Mangum defines affirmative action as a multipurpose term. This multipurpose term is used for the set of programs developed by the government in order to eliminate discrimination based on race and gender.  Affirmative action programs provide opportunities in education and employment. This facilitates the opportunities that can help the beneficiary group to improve its skill, and opportunities and uplift its social status. There are various studies that have covered the controversies around affirmative action within American society and politics. This has been viewed as a politically motivated activity to increase or maintain the vote banks. The controversy is also linked to the tangibility factors of affirmative action. This is termed ‘reverse discrimination or preferential treatment’ by Mangum.

Berry (2004) has studied the expansion of affirmative action programs to the private sector by providing educational, training, and employment opportunities to the protected groups to increase their recruitment in the organization. There have been various studies and debates over the controversies around affirmative action. Some authors argued over the fairness of affirmative actions (Katznelson, 2006; Nighaoui, 2007) whereas others questioned the implementation and actual benefits to the target groups (Cohen and Sterba, 2003; Bulman-Pozen, 2006). Strout (1999) regarded affirmative action as ‘preferential treatment’ to people from particular groups. This has attracted many debates and criticisms from the past. There are debates over the issue if affirmative action can be justified on a moral basis. The argument and presentation of it as compensation for past discrimination is a weak argument as it leads to a never-ending process of benefiting one group and another for the same. Strout (1999) rightly pointed out that the only situation where it can be justified is if it helps in achieving a desirable state where it is effective in changing the attitude in general that obstructs rational decision-making or discrimination is eliminated in all the levels and processes.

Mangum (2008) studied and concluded that there are various factors that influence the views and attitudes towards affirmative action among the beneficiaries such as self-interest, explanation of social justice, family income, social class, reference group, group benefits, and desire for social justice. However, Mangum argues that the controversial aspects of affirmative action are also increasing with the increase in the level of diversity in society. The increase multilingual and multiracial diversity has resulted in increasing competition, conflict, and threats. The questions of fairness and social justice are raised to improve the group's position in society. Cohen, and Sterba (277) offer ‘remedial affirmative action’ and assert that the role of affirmative action would be significant in combating the discrimination problems of housing, jobs, and education with better-funded corrective policies.

This is evident in the previous research that the goals of affirmative action have been achieved to a certain extent. There is much scope to address the growing diversity of the society and the actual value affirmative action brings to the U.S. society.