Product Description

A Yale law professor reflects on his own experience with affirmative action--the benefits he reaped and suffering he experienced as a black man who was able to take advantage of affirmative action programs. Reprint. NYT.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #113825 in Books
• Published on: 1992-08-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 300 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Yale law professor Carter's provocative critique of affirmative action has stirred much debate and discussion.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
The latest book to look at the issues facing African Americans from a point of view different from mainstream civil rights organizations, it begins with Yale law professor Carter discussing the positive and negative effects of affirmative action on his life. He then expands his study to include other topics such as the increase of racial incidents in America, dealing with political correctness and the conflicts between the mainstream liberal black community and the increasingly vocal so-called black conservatives. Like Shelby Steele's The Content of Our Character ( LJ 8/90), Carter's book is well written; unlike Steele, Carter provides lots of detailed documentation to support his ideas. A book that will find lots of readers and stir debate. For all libraries. (Index not seen.)-- Danna C. Bell-Russel, Mary mount Univ. Libs., Arlington, Va.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Affirmative-action programs have ``run their course'' and, according to this overworked, self-referential diatribe from Carter (Yale/Law), that's all to the good. A Stanford graduate, Carter entered Yale in 1977. ``I got into a top law school,'' he offers, ``because I am black--so what?'' He argues here that all should be based on merit and that affirmative action--what he decries as ``racial preference''- -further ghettoizes blacks by not allowing them to compete against ``the best.'' The ``taint''--the idea that success was achieved solely because of race rather then merit--haunts all black professionals, says Carter, lamenting also the ``biology implies ideology'' presupposition that there is only one correct black viewpoint, that a minority member who expresses a view that a white could hold is ``not a bona fide representative of [his] people.'' Carter empathizes with ``dissenters'' such as author- historian Shelby Steele and controversial sociologist William Julius Wilson, intellectuals who have gone against the grain by not speaking ``for'' the black race and who have been criticized as ``neoconservative'' and branded traitors. Affirmative action, claims Carter, has lowered general standards to meet racial quotas rather than spurred minorities on to being ``too good to ignore.'' It's been ``a convenience,'' a means of avoiding more costly, difficult solutions. He doesn't go into detail, but he offers the Head Start program and refers hazily to the ``policy initiatives'' of the War on Poverty as possible answers. While his analysis has undeniable merit, Carter's call for a reemphasis on ``societal commitment'' and ``a loving solidarity'' as the means to gaining equity and achievement for black Americans seems to overlook the harsh historical reality and pervasive attitudes that made affirmative action a necessity. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

A book to encourage debate- not end it!!
This is not the book that many will expect it to be. If the reader is looking for a book taking a position for or against affirmative action, she will be dissapointed here. In fact, half of the book actually is absent talk of affirmative action at all. What Carter does do in "Reflections.." is relay to us his experiences, thoughts and feelings on the matter in the style of an internal socratic dialogue.

Stephen Carter is just the man to do it. He has written many books on the many aspects of law and, as he conveys in this cultural memoir, has aquired views notoriously hard to pin down (how many 'liberals' do YOU know who wrote books suggesting that church/state seperation has been taken too far?!) Accordingly, he can admits both being helped by affirmative action and being psychologically hurt by some of it's misguided effects. His willingness to think and write about these quandaries, so often neglected by other thinkers, makes this a fascinating read. No dogmatic diatribes or easy answers, just discussion that is passionate yet objective.

While affirmative action dominates the first half of the book, it is used as a springboard to the second half, which discusses a deeper problem- that of a noticeable distrust in Black America of dissenting political voices. Thomas Sowell, Shelby Steele, Clarence Thomas and the like are quick to be called 'white' or 'inauthentic' if they voice opinions contrary to mainstream black thought. Whether or not you agree with Carter's observation, his discussion here is lively, thoughtful and always respectful of all angles.

So, to close, the reason for the subtracted star is the fact that this book might disappoint two expectations readers may have for it- First, there are no conclusions reached here. While this is a good thing in itself, the reader looking for winning intellectual argument will need to look elsewhere. The second is that the title is a bit misleading as only about 100 pages are actually on affirmative action. Again, the discussion after is just as mind-capturing. Still, because of the title and synopsis, it is a bit misleading.

Thought-provoking, eloquent, erudite...
I was actually assigned to read a chapter of this book for one of my classes and wound up purchasing the entire thing because I found it so utterly compelling. What makes this a refreshing departure from other books on affirmative action is how Carter manages to personalize his message while at the same time not coming off as an ideologue. His arguments are too well-reasoned, too thought-provoking, for anyone to dismiss his work out of hand.

His theory of affirmative action walks the line between anecdotal evidence and policy analysis, but his exposition is so graceful that these competing methods don't create contradiction. Carter manages to write both a poignant account of his own experience with affirmative action as well as a critical analysis of the motivation behind affirmative action and it's failed execution in the U.S.

Carter's book has once again proven that affirmative action is something intelligent people can disagree about, for respectively rational and well-meaning reasons. I am no closer to knowing the "right" answer to such a muddled issue, but the fact that Carter is thinking and writing about it enrichens the debate immeasurably.

Provocative Thinking about a Major Cultural Problem
I must confess from the outet that likely I am not part of a recognized minority, unless one considers a short, German belonging to a small, conservataive Christian church such.

Carter is a provocative writer and thinker. Having read other works of his on culture and religion and law, this is yet another which shows us this talented man's ability to present a lucid, well thought out opinion.

Many points put forth in this work caused me to seriously ponder my views, and my culture's. My sensisitivity has been heightened, my horizons have been stretched and broadened. Admittedly so, I have not had enough exposure to all the voices Carter provides besides his own. This is of tremendous value to me.

Still horrifying and repugnant to me personally to know the reality of racism and all of its trump cards that both sides play. Carter seeks to expose them all for what they're worth. The solidarity and love he has for his heritage shines forth, as well the balance and passionate opinions he expresses for resolve in the future.