Role Models and Arguments for Affirmative Action

The validity of various role-model arguments for affirmative-action is examined. It is desirable that the adopted definition of role models captures the main features of role models in the minds of many people who use the term. Two features of role models can serve as benchmarks to evaluate how well...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American economic review 2000-06, Vol.90 (3), p.640-648
Main Author: Chung, Kim-Sau
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Affirmative action
Attorneys
Black people
Economic models
Economic theory
Employment discrimination
Information legislation
Law schools
Law students
Lawyer client communication
Role models
Student costs
Studies
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Summary:The validity of various role-model arguments for affirmative-action is examined. It is desirable that the adopted definition of role models captures the main features of role models in the minds of many people who use the term. Two features of role models can serve as benchmarks to evaluate how well the adopted definition does in this regard. First, a role model is someone who has achieved something unusual among the members of her group and attracts a great deal of imitators or emulators. Second, followers emulate their role models out of rational calculation. These two features suggest a model in which one person's achievement conveys information which affects the choices of many others.
ISSN:0002-8282
1944-7981
DOI:10.1257/aer.90.3.640