affirmativeaction

Affirmative action refers to policies and practices intended to increase opportunities for historically underrepresented groups in education, employment, and contracting, by considering factors such as race, sex, or ethnicity as part of selection processes. The goal is to address systemic inequalities and to promote diverse, inclusive environments that benefit organizations and society.

In practice, affirmative action can involve targeted outreach, recruitment efforts, and the use of selections that give preferred consideration or set-asides for qualified candidates from underrepresented groups. It often operates as a tool within admissions or hiring processes, rather than as a fixed quota. The policies are subject to legal frameworks and vary by country; in some jurisdictions explicit quotas are prohibited, while race- or gender-conscious considerations may be allowed to varying degrees.

In the United States, affirmative action emerged from executive orders and civil rights laws in the 1960s. The Supreme Court has decided key cases such as Bakke v. Regents of the University of California (1978), Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), and Fisher v. University of Texas (2013; affirmed in 2016), shaping how race-conscious programs may operate to promote diversity. The policies thus require narrow tailoring and continual evaluation to withstand judicial scrutiny.

Supporters argue that affirmative action fosters fair access, remedies past discrimination, and improves decision-making and creativity through diverse perspectives. Critics contend that it can undermine merit or result in reverse discrimination, prompting calls for alternative approaches, such as race-neutral or socioeconomic-based policies.

Globally, affirmative action or comparable measures appear in various forms, from preferential hiring in public sector roles to broader policies aimed at equity in education. The policy landscape continues to evolve with changing political and legal contexts.