Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

End Of An Era? Affirmative Action And Reaction In The 1990s, Andrew Ewoh, Euel Elliott

Andrew I.E. Ewoh

This article looks at the political dynamics of affirmative action policy since its inception m the 1960s We suggest that while key variables created a relatively favorable climate for affirmative action m the first two decades or so of its existence, recent developments suggest that race-conscious programs will be substantially limited in the future, although not eliminated m their entirety. We contend that a changing judiciary, Republican control of Congress, and shifts m public opinion, as manifested in Proposition 209 m California, interact in ways that will make many compensatory programs difficult to maintain.