Affirmative Action: instrument of citizenship or discrimination reverse?

Abstract

Affirmative action can be traced back to 1930, but it became widely known in the US in the middle of the Twentieth Century. The objective of affirmative action programs is to reclaim the citizenship of individuals rejected by the society due to discriminations other than racial, as in the case of Brazil. Therefore, these programs should involve more than the mere establishment of quotas, which is only one among many other affirmative action possibilities. It is important to emphasize that Brazilian affirmative action employment programs have relied strongly on the policy of quotas for black citizens. This has triggered a number of favorable and unfavorable reactions towards the implementation of quotas in Brazil. Constitutional principles have guaranteed the development of affirmative action programs; therefore, the establishment of quotas to protect the rights of 40% of blacks to attend university is a clear example of reverse discrimination. Thus the heated discussions on the implementation of quotas for blacks and mulattos are nothing but an exercise in citizenship to join critical forces to guarantee constitutional rights.