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The Affirmative Action Debate. 2d ed. Steven M. Cahn, ed. New York: Routledge. 2002. 256 pages. $22.95.
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent split decision in the University of Michigan's admissions case constitutionally reaffirms the use of race as one of many factors in weighing university applications. However, it does not clarify the cultural debate that rages around affirmative action. Nor does it conclude the political debate, as state legislatures are already introducing legislation to solidify, modify, or challenge the Court's ruling. For that matter, the decision does not end the legal debate, since future courts will interpret the nuances of the ruling and, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court will revisit the issue as new questions about the use of affirmative action emerge.
Sorting through these cultural, political, and legal complexities, Cahn's second edition of The Affirmative Action Debate provides a comprehensive overview of the major arguments and controversies surrounding affirmative action. Compiling an impressive list of scholars from both sides of the debate, Cahn's...