Public Attitudes Towards Affirmative Action

Indianapolis, IN

The examination of social policies like AA that aid in the socio-economic mobility of historically marginalized groups, such as women and racial minorities, is imperative for societal progression. This led to further inquiry on what shapes public attitudes towards AA separating motives into two main schools of thought, relating to ideology and economic interest. This further led to the proposition of two hypotheses that the prioritization of equality and inclusivity and/ or global economic concerns would drive more inclinations towards support for AA. First, I will engage in literature that led to the development of my hypotheses, via the examination of different schools of thought. Next, I will operationalized and test both hypotheses. Then, I will analyze and discuss the results along with its future implications.