Race - Affirmative Action

Question 1

What is affirmative action

Answer 1

A programmed giving members of a previously disadvantaged minority group a head start (e.g. in higher education)

Question 2

What is equality of opportunity

Answer 2

The view that everyone has the same level of opportunity

Question 3

What is equality of results

Answer 3

The view that an institution should reflect the racial diversity of the nation

Question 4

Did the court case restrict or protect affirmative action?

Bakke (1978)

Answer 4

First undermining of Affirmative Action - Ruled out quotas

Question 5

Did the court case restrict or protect affirmative action?

Gratz v Bollinger (2003)

Answer 5

Restricted Affirmative action

Said that giving marks due to race was too mechanistic

Question 6

What did justices say on the affirmative action: O’Conner

Answer 6

Said AA was good but it may not be needed in the future

Question 7

What did justices say on the affirmative action: Thomas

Answer 7

Is black but does not support AA

Question 8

What did Roberts say on Affirmative Action

Answer 8

The way to stop discriminating on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race

Question 9

Fisher V Texas (2013)

Answer 9

Fisher complained that she didn’t get a place at the university of Texas on the basis of race
Court upheld affirmative action

Question 10

What are the 4 different views on Affirmative Action

Answer 10

Reform it
Keep it
Get rid of it
Phase it out

Question 11

Explain the belief that AA should be reformed

Answer 11

Believe that AA should be based on prosperity rather than race

Question 12

Explain the belief that AA should be kept

Answer 12

Liberals - point out that minorities are underrepresented in terms of bachelor degree awards at US universities

Question 13

Explain the belief that AA should be abolished

Answer 13

Conservative view - That society is not about equality rather equality of opportunity

Question 14

Explain the belief that AA should be phased out

Answer 14

Appreciated the role that AA has played but believes that in the future it will no longer be necessary

Question 15

Arguments that AA is beneficial

Answer 15

Leads to greater levels of diversity
Best way of delivering equality
Rights previous wrongs
Can be phased out

Question 16

Arguments that AA is not beneficial

Answer 16

Can lead to minorities being admitted to courses or jobs with which they are ill-equipped to cope
Can be condescending to minorities
Stops incentives to work hard
‘Reverse discrimination’

Question 17

Example of Americans supporting AA

Answer 17

63% say they are in favour of AA programmes to overcome past discrimination

Question 18

Example of AA causing an increase in equality due to AA

Answer 18

Between 1960-1995, the percentage of black people aged 25-29 who graduated from university rose from 5% to 15%

Question 19

Example of AA not being effective

Answer 19

Only 4% of African Americans say they have been ‘helped’ by affirmative action programmes
8% say they have been hurt & 88% say they have not been affected

Question 20

Example of Americans not supporting AA

Answer 20

Only 24% believe that every possible effort should be made to improve the portion of minorities, including preferential treatment. 72% disagree with this

Question 21

Example of AA leading to poor performance of minorities out of their depth

Answer 21

A study of law schools in 2004 found that putting black students in classes with white students who had higher grades resulted in almost half of the black students ending in the bottom 10% of the class