Affirmative action, sometimes called positive discrimination outside the United States,
refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment
aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minority
men or women of all races). Motivation for affirmative action policies is to
redress the effects of past and current wrongful discrimination and to encourage
public institutions such as universities, hospitals and police forces to be
more representative of the population.
This is commonly achieved through
targeted recruitment programs, and in some cases by preferential treatment
given to applicants from socio-politically disadvantaged groups. Opponents of
affirmative action policies argue that it is based on collectivism and merely
another equal form of discrimination because it can result in qualified applicants
being denied entry to higher education or employment because they belong to
a particular social group (usually the historically socio-politically dominant
group; typically majority races and men, regardless of social standing or financial
need.) Some opponents say that affirmative action devalues the accomplishments
of people who are chosen because of the social group they belong to rather
than their qualifications.
The opponents[attribution needed] of affirmative
action say that using it to remove discrimination is counter-productive,
both because it requires the very discrimination it is seeking to eliminate
in order to work and because it promotes prejudice by increasing resentment of
those who are the beneficiaries of affirmative action from those who have been
adversely affected by the policy. |
