- The social justice issue I chose to use for the annotated bibliography project is the lack of affirmative action programs within the United States. One may ask, what are affirmative action programs? Affirmative action programs are policies or programs that are intended to encourage equal opportunities for groups of people who continue to be discriminated against.
- During my preliminary research, I discovered that during Donald Trump’s administration, affirmative action was hindered because he signed an executive order that banned transgender people from enlisting in the army. Trump decreased the representation of transgender people in the military. Furthermore, he signed another executive order that banned refugees and travelers from Muslim countries, and this lowered the number of refugees allowed to seek safety in the United States. People who needed refuge were denied entry because of who they are, including where they come from or whether they are Muslim or of any other religion. Moreover, some prestigious universities and colleges are still undermining access for students of color. These students of color include black and Latinx students. While the concept of affirmative action existed during John. F Kennedy’s time in office, it’s still needed in 2021 because there is no cure for discrimination in society.
Questions:
- What are the Consequences of Abandoning Affirmative Action in Society?
- Is Affirmative Action Beneficial to Society in General?
- What Motivates Certain People to Reject Affirmative Action Programs?
I think your questions at the end of this post are really good and great starting place for doing a bit more preliminary research. After you read around a bit, you can see what you’ve learned and narrow down to a final question. I also think you can focus on the first two since they are similar questions and this will help you focus in. My only comment is that you should also look up a definition of affirmative action because the muslim ban, while problematic, is not affirmative action. Affirmative action has to do with education and employment. And to focus in, you may want to think about the first two questions in a specific area–such as affirmative action in college or the military or a particular job sector.