Affirmative Action and Racial Preference : A Debate

Racial preferences (RP) are among the most contentious issues in our society, touching on questions of fairness & the proper role of racial categories in gov't. action. Here, two prof. of philosopher lay out the arguments on each side. Cohen argues that RP are morally wrong -- forbidden by the 14th Amend. to the Const., & explicitly banned by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Such RP harm society in general, damage the univ. that use them, & undermine the minorities they were intended to serve. Sterba counters that, far from being banned by the Const. & the civil rights acts, affirmative action (AA) is in fact mandated by law in the pursuit of a society that is racially & sexually just. This penetrating debate explores the philosophical & legal arguments on all sides of AA.Cohen, Carl is the author of 'Affirmative Action and Racial Preference : A Debate', published 2005 under ISBN 9780756797928 and ISBN 0756797926.