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"Affirmative Action": A Road Towards Equality.

"Affirmative Action": A Road Towards Equality.

by

Social Psychology 205

Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Definition 3
History 4
Employment 5
Education 6
Arguments For 7
Arguments Against 7
Conclusion 8
References 9

"Affirmative Action": A Road Towards Equality.

When two groups are in competition with each other for scarce resources, they threaten each other. This is the definition for the realistic group conflict theory. The majority and minority in the United States have been executing this theory for years. Recently, this battle has been brought to the forefront with the argument surrounding the enrollment procedures into Michigan University. Going forward, this paper will discuss how affirmative action has impacted the goals of equality in the workplace and education.

Definition
When trying to define the term affirmative action you can begin to see why the there is some much controversy about the subject. Different definitions invoke different impressions of its intentions. The actual definition as defined by dictionary.com is a policy or a program that seeks to redress past discrimination through active measures to ensure equal opportunity, as in education and employment. Williams (2003) believes that people view it three ways. Two of the views see

it positively as a policy for nondiscrimination or a policy for desired racial preferences. The third view displays disagreements with the policy, believing that it is insensitive or racist.

History
The emergence of affirmative action stemmed from the signing of the tenth executive order (925) in 1961 by John F. Kennedy which created the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO). By this order, federal contractors were suppose to hire without discriminating but the wording did not specify on how and if they were suppose report on their compliance. Subsequently, in 1969 republican President Richard Nixon signed executive...