AFFIRMATIVE-ACTION, UNINTENTIONAL RACIAL BIASES, AND INTERGROUP RELATIONS

This paper examines whether affirmative action is still needed, invest igates why it may be needed in terms of contemporary racial attitudes, and considers ways of reducing intergroup conflict and tension surrou nding this issue. Although the nature of contemporary bins is more sub tle than traditional forms, this unintentional bias can produce barrie rs to the employment and advancement of well-qualified members of hist orically disadvantaged groups, as well as resistance to affirmative ac tion. Nevertheless, affirmative action policies may address contempora ry biases more effectively than passive equal employment opportunity p olicies because they emphasize outcomes rather than intentions, provid e unambiguous standards of behavior, and establish monitoring systems that insure accountability. Strategies for improving intergroup relati ons and reducing inter-group conflict associated with this issue are c onsidered.