Beckwith, Francis J. And Todd E. Jones,

¶ … Beckwith, Francis J. And Todd E. Jones, eds. Affirmative Action: Social Justice or Reverse Discrimination? Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 1997.

This book, written in 1997, discusses affirmative action's history, and what has led up to the proliferation of affirmative action measures in this country. The book covers the "two forms" of affirmative action, "weak affirmative action," which often relies on equal opportunity and other methods to work, and "strong affirmative action," which relies on a more positive outlook, including reverse discrimination and equal results. The text also looks at why affirmative action is so controversial, and how to create better, more workable and less controversial affirmative action programs in the future. It also discusses specific affirmative action cases; such as the DeFunis law school case, and what these cases mean to affirmative action. It also looks at problems facing affirmative action, including reverse racism, race-neutral programs, racial discrimination, and goals and quotas in hiring as they relate to affirmative action programs.

This book is a thorough look into the pros and cons of affirmative action, and gives concrete details for the scholar or interested citizen to help make up their own minds about the affirmative action process. While it is not an unbiased view of the process, it does contain pros and cons that get the reader thinking about their own beliefs and their own experiences with affirmative action. The book acknowledges early this is a controversial subject, and it helps stir the controversy by playing devil's advocate at times, and pointing out the many flaws in most affirmative action programs. This is an excellent review of the background, the history, and the reasons affirmative action exists. However, it is now a bit dated, and would be improved by including recent developments in affirmative action legislation, such as the University of Michigan decision.

Eastland, Terry. Ending Affirmative Action: The Case for Colorblind Justice. New York: Basic Books, 1997.

This book does not pretend to be an unbiased look at a controversial subject. The title indicates the content of this book. It is a treatise on ending the practice of affirmative action, and why society needs to find another way to ensure fair hiring of everyone including minorities. The book cites specific cases of reverse discrimination where blacks and other minorities received jobs and/or promotions based solely on their race, while whites, with more seniority and experience were passed over, such as the Memphis Police Department's method of promoting blacks over whites. The book shows how initially affirmative action was meant to equal the employment playing field, but how it has degenerated from a good ideal to a bad idea.

The author does not present his argument as one based on racism, but instead illustrates just how affirmative action is itself a form of racism, causing more hatred and misunderstanding rather than ending it. Eastland's plea is for a "colorblind" form of action that truly treats everyone equally, rather than giving one race or another the upper hand. He clearly shows why he believes affirmative action is not the solution, and offers some alternatives on how to end affirmative action while still maintaining equal hiring practices. His plea is both eloquent and emotional, and distinctly calls for an end to affirmative action before it spreads even more. The book is a must read for anyone studying affirmative action, because it provides an alternate point-of-view that must be pondered to get a clear understanding of the entire affirmative action situation. It is well written and compelling, and as any good book, it makes the reader think further about the issues and ideas it raises. It also presents its argument quite persuasively, and it is quite easy to see where the author stands on the issue.

Fiscus, Ronald J. The Constitutional Logic of Affirmative Action. Edited by Stephen L. Washy. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1992.