Affirmative action is used to refer to a set of policies within an institution, typically the government, directed at including particular groups based on their gender, race, creed, or nationality in sections where there is exclusion. The main aim of affirmative action is to ensure that there is a representation of all diverse groups. Several arguments support affirmative action, while others contest it.
One of the arguments supporting affirmative action is that it promotes the fair assessment of individuals by adjusting for existing social inequities. Fair evaluation often results in equal opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds. Another argument that favors affirmative action is that a diverse population, whether in education or the work environment, establishes a better environment (Wagner, 2019). For instance, when an educational environment is diverse, each student brings something unique and distinct to the community. The third argument is that it ensures that there is an inclusion of members of different groups. Affirmative action creates different standards for minority groups to counterbalance the disadvantages faced by these groups. This counterbalancing act ensures that members from different ethnic groups are present.
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On the other hand, there are several arguments against affirmative action. One of these arguments is that it is not fair to judge applicants on other factors that extend their merit. As opposed to focusing on aspects such as race, many things can be used to differentiate students from one another. A second argument is that affirmative action does not result in true diversity as it results in the provision of preferential treatment being provided on outward characteristics (Lippert-Rasmussen, 2020). The last argument is that affirmative action does not help disadvantaged groups. As opposed to helping disadvantaged minority groups, it perpetuates socioeconomic inequalities.
Conclusively, affirmative action refers to a set of policies aimed at including diverse groups in an organization or government. Affirmative action is important as it promotes fair assessment of individuals, a better and diverse environment, and inclusivity. Despite the benefits, affirmative action has some shortcomings. Opponents of affirmative action argue that it is unfair to make judgment factors that may extend merits to some individuals. Also, it does not promote true diversity and rarely helps the disadvantaged groups.
References
Lippert-Rasmussen, K. (2020). Making Sense of Affirmative Action . Oxford University Press.
Wagner, P. E. (2019). The rhetorical invention of diversity: Supreme Court opinions, public argument, and affirmative action. Argumentation and Advocacy , 55 (1-2), 85-87.
