Introduction
Despite the desire to create an equal and democratic society, many Americans cannot ignore the impact of racial resentment and inappropriate interpretations of diversity. In her article, Patricia Williams (2015) underling the importance of affirmative action to better understand racial disparity and the existing structural biases. Instead of embodying the American Dream by mitigating some aspects of racism or gender inequality, it is high time to develop new sociological research and solutions based on scholarly arguments and appropriate diversity policies. There are many ways to support Williams in this debate, and one of them is to explore some theories of identity, like social identity and place identity, through the prism of equity and inclusion.
Discussion
Everyone who wants to support Dr. Williams in her promotion of affirmative action to eradicate racial and gender biases should follow several critical steps. First, the importance of diversity-based policies must be identified and explained. These initiatives are necessary to improve the experiences of citizens in their desire to live a free and fair life. Although building trust and support is a goal, it is not enough to stabilize the situation in the country. Therefore, the idea offered by Ely and Thomas (2020) is to implement cultural differences as a resource for learning and organizational development. Then, people need to know why racial and ethical inequalities have to be predicted, focusing on their contributions as members of local communities. Finally, diversity-based policies deal with discrimination using federal laws, management processes, and public speaking. According to Williams (2015), money can mitigate some problems and decrease biases, but it is not a final solution because racial, ethnic, and gender prejudice continues to exist. Affirmative action is not the only approach to defend minority groups and provide them with equal access to regional resources.
Today, many professional opinions and research-based ideas are offered to indicate the major challenges based on racial inequality. Olzmann (2020) underlines that the responsibility for poor or wrong understanding of diversity belongs to all people, and there is still a chance to enhance positive changes through listening, educating, and acknowledging. Attention to this scholarly argument is paid for several reasons. First, Olzmann’s background in cell biology might prove that racism is no longer a social problem but a multi-level challenge for all spheres of life. Second, his argument is not just a personal opinion but the elaboration of facts. Black/African Americans, as well as other minority groups, were historically marginalized and excluded from academic activities because of their ethnicity and race (as cited in Olzmann, 2020). Academic leadership, conference speaking, and other critical positions experience a lack of diversity, which prevents the distribution of equal and professional knowledge.
Addressing the theories of identity is another way to emphasize the worth of diversity and racially-based affirmative action. Place identity and social identity theories are based on the idea that human beings differ from other species due to their self-awareness. Place identity theory underlines the importance of the environment in developing perceptions, while social identity theory proves the impact of social groups on personality. In both cases, people cannot rely on their judgments only but use the information that is obtained from external sources. Social identity theory is effective for examining various relationships and interactions. Diversity is mostly rooted in how people see themselves in society and develop their attitudes. Place identity theory is more necessary to study the conditions under which decisions are made and problems are solved. Both approaches prove that diversity is important in communities, and people need to understand their roles and responsibilities and follow affirmative action principles.
Social changes play an important role in stabilizing interpersonal relationships. According to Roscigno (2019), discrimination based on gender, race, and age is hardly a new issue in sociological research. Many sociological resources underline the necessity to improve the current state of affairs in local communities and at the workplace to assess the vulnerability of particular groups. Researchers conduct comparative studies to learn the roots of inequality and measure its impact on individuals and organizations. Sometimes, satisfactory outcomes are observed through federal laws, hearings, and policies. However, racism is still a problem in the United States, and more attention and resources should be found to solve the problem and help minority groups achieve justice. Thus, the efficacy of diversity policies mentioned in sociological research grows and involves more people from different fields.
Conclusion
In general, the offered op-ed by Dr. Williams is a unique contribution to the discussion of race and gender inequalities in modern American society. It is not a surprise that many people are eager to support this position and investigate some new aspects of affirmative action through the prism of diversity-based policies. There are many scholarly arguments to strengthen the debate and show how unfair human interactions and reactions can be. Exploring the theories of identity also emphasizes the importance of diversity by addressing place and society identities. After all, the necessity to continue sociological research to promote new diversity policies is evident.
References
Ely, R. J., & Thomas, D. A. (2020). Getting serious about diversity: Enough already with the business case.Harvard Business Review. Web.
Olzmann, J. A. (2020). Diversity through equity and inclusion: The responsibility belongs to all of us. Molecular Biology of the Cell, 31(25), 2757-2760.
Roscigno, V. J. (2019). Discrimination, sexual harassment, and the impact of workplace power. Socius, 5.
Williams, P. J. (2015). We need race-based affirmative action.The New York Times. Web.