The Impact of affirmative action in the United States’ higher education
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Date
2023
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University of Oum El Bouaghi
Abstract
The United States of America has one of the most prestigious higher education systems in the world, even though it has always been accused of discrimination and segregation. This research aims to shed light on the underlying rationale behind adopting the Affirmative Action program and shows its impact especially, in higher education. It also aims to explain the role played by the Affirmative Action program in the American higher education system and the employment market. The Affirmative Action program was legislated to reduce discrimination and segregation against different ethnicities including African Americans who are the center of this research. Across blended approaches, the study was undertaken to explore the impact of Affirmative Action on higher education. The historical approach in the study is used to provide a better understanding of the socio-historical context of segregation, discrimination and Affirmative Action. Besides, the descriptive approach is used to examine the positive and the negative impact of the policy on the higher education system. The principal findings related to this research show that even though Affirmative Action brought several positive outcomes it is still facing an existential threat in the US higher education because it is a racial program. The American society holds different perceptions of equality and justice, which lead to two perspectives the first one of fighting segregation that has old history and ensure justice for ethnic minorities through programs such as Affirmative Action, and the second one that the new American generation do not have to pay for the mistakes of the old generations.
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Keywords
Discrimination; Affirmative action program; The American Higher Education system