In recent years a number of countries have introduced affirmative action programmes in order to put right historical injustices and economic inequalities involving ethnic communities. This book examines affirmative action programmes in a range of countries around the world. It discusses how such programmes came about and how they have been implemented, and examines their effectiveness. Throughout it explores how far affirmative action programmes reinforce ethnic identities and thereby contribute to division and conflict. The countries covered are India, the United States, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Brazil, Malaysia and Fiji.

Contents

Introduction: Affirmative Action, Horizontal Inequalities, and Equitable Development Edmund Terence Gomez and Ralph Premdas 1. Poverty, Equality, and Affirmative Action in India Sunita Parikh 2. The Struggle for Equality and Justice: Affirmative Action in the United States of America Ralph Premdas 3. Ethnicity, Economy, and Affirmative Action in Malaysia Lee Hock Aun, Edmund Terence Gomez, and Shakila Yacob 4. Coerced Preferences: Affirmative Action and Horizontal Inequality in Fiji Steve Ratuva 5. Affirmative Action in South Africa:Disadvantaging the Many for the Benefit of the Few Anthea Jeffery 6. Contextualising Equality? Affirmative Action, Identity, and Conflict in Northern Ireland Colin Harvey 7. Appraising Affirmative Action in Brazil Joaze Bernardino-Costa and Fernando Rosa

Author Bio

Edmund Terence Gomez is a Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Malaya.

Ralph Premdas is Professor of Public Policy at the University of the West

Indies.