Richard D. Kahlenberg, author of *Class Matters* and director at the Progressive Policy Institute, explores the future of higher education in light of the Supreme Court's end to race-based affirmative action. He highlights the shift toward class-based approaches, redefines merit in admissions, and discusses how socioeconomic factors can enhance diversity. Kahlenberg critiques elitism in academia and advocates for access to community colleges and apprenticeships, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in education amidst today’s polarized political landscape.
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insights INSIGHT
Shifting Focus to Socioeconomic Status
Universities have historically prioritized racial integration but neglected economic diversity.
The Supreme Court's ban on race-based affirmative action forces universities to consider socioeconomic status, potentially promoting both racial and economic diversity.
insights INSIGHT
Liberal Critique of Affirmative Action
A liberal critique of affirmative action argues that economic disadvantage is a more significant factor than race.
This perspective suggests that admissions should prioritize economically disadvantaged students of all races.
insights INSIGHT
Redefining Merit
Merit should be defined more broadly than just test scores and grades.
It should consider accomplishments in light of obstacles overcome, recognizing potential in those who achieved despite disadvantages.
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How Snob Zoning, NIMBYism, and Class Bias Build the Walls We Don't See
Richard Kahlenberg
Class Matters
Class Matters
Richard Kahlenberg
Richard Kahlenberg's "Class Matters" challenges the traditional approach to affirmative action, arguing that a class-based system is more effective and equitable. The book delves into the history of affirmative action, highlighting the debates and competing visions that shaped its implementation. Kahlenberg presents compelling evidence demonstrating how race-based affirmative action disproportionately benefits privileged minority students, while neglecting those from disadvantaged backgrounds across all races. He proposes a class-based alternative that addresses economic inequality and promotes genuine diversity. The book offers a nuanced perspective on the complexities of affirmative action, advocating for a system that prioritizes socioeconomic factors to create a more inclusive society.
What It Takes
The Way to the White House
Richard Ben Cramer
In this comprehensive and engaging book, Richard Ben Cramer provides an in-depth analysis of the 1988 U.S. presidential election. The book delves into the lives and campaigns of the major candidates, including George H.W. Bush, Michael Dukakis, Joe Biden, Gary Hart, and others. Cramer's narrative explores the personal and political aspects of each candidate, offering a rich and nuanced understanding of what it takes to run for the highest office in the United States.
Richard D. Kahlenberg, author of Class Matters: The Fight to Get Beyond Race Preferences, Reduce Inequality, and Build Real Diversity at America’s Colleges and Director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute, returns to The Realignment. Richard and Marshall discuss the future of higher education after the Supreme Court ended race-based affirmative action, why America's "river of power" runs through the Ivy League, tensions between class-based affirmative action and differing visions of "merit," higher education's response to the Trump administration's attacks, and the role of public, non-elite institutions in promoting economic opportunity.
The Realignment 
