Abstract

Affirmative action as a social policy aimed at uplifting disadvantaged and underrepresented minorities has been a subject of significant debate in countries where it is implemented. According to a 2019 research paper published by Cambridge University Press affirmative action policies are defined as “state imposition through legislation court judgments or other mechanisms” reflecting state intervention to ensure access to employment education legislative representation and other societal resources for targeted groups (Sommer & Asal). These policies are intended to redress historical injustices and systemic discrimination against specific sections of society. The same study highlights examples of such policies in countries like the former Soviet Union (Martin 2001) Sri Lanka Malaysia France Nigeria China and Britain.