If affirmative action and other ethnicity-based social programs are
justified, then J. Angelo Corlett believes it is important to come to an
adequate understanding of the nature of ethnicity in general and ethnic
group membership in particular. In Race, Racism, and Reparations,
Corlett reconceptualizes traditional ideas of race in terms of
ethnicity. As he makes clear, the answers to the questions "What is a
Native American"? or "What is a Latino/a"? have important implications
for public policy, especially for those programs designed to address
historic injustices and economic and social imbalances among different
groups in our society.
Having supplanted "race" with a well-defined concept of ethnicity, the
author then analyzes the nature and function of racism. Corlett argues
for a notion of racism that must encompass not only racist beliefs but
also racist actions, omissions, and attempted actions. His aim is to
craft a definition of racism that will prove useful in legal and public
policy contexts.
Corlett places special emphasis on the broad questions of whether
reparations for ethnic groups are desirable and what forms those
reparations should take: land, money, social programs? He addresses the
need for differential affirmative action programs and reparations
policies—the experiences (and oppressors) of different ethnic groups
vary greatly. Arguments for reparations to Native and African Americans
are considered in light of a variety of objections that are or might be
raised against them. Corlett articulates and critically analyzes a
number of possible proposals for reparations.
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