The Retreat from Race: Asian-American Admissions and Racial Politics [Paperback]

Dana Y. Takagi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1993

"By examining the debate over Asian-American admissions at such universities as Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, Takagi explains important developments in the politics of race. Her central argument is that the controversial admissions policies facilitate a subtle but important shift away from racial and toward class preferences in affirmative action procedures. This complex and sensitive subject is carefully analyzed, and will help readers understand the intricacies of university policy and the politics of admissions." --Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This probing book analyzes a subtle but important change in racial politics: how at elite universities in the 1980s, class replaced race as a major criterion in admissions policy. Takagi, who teaches sociology at the University of California-Santa Cruz, frames her argument in terms of Asian admissions. During the '80s, the focus of debate about Asian students shifted from charges of discrimination to the role of Asians as an underrepresented minority group in affirmative action-based admissions process. Asians, Takagi feels, have been "peripheral to racial politics in higher education." She begins by closely examining the growing number of discrimination charges by Asians on six campuses from 1983 to 1986, then shows how the debate after 1987 moved to questions of diversity and meritocracy. Neoconservatives, she writes, seized the controversy to portray a simplistic zero-sum game in which Asian-Americans were victimized by less qualified blacks and Hispanics, leading liberal university officials to trade racial preferences for class preferences. Takagi calls for deeper discussion about the admissions process and for more textured language to address racial issues.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Spurred by the knowledge that top universities use quotas to limit the enrollment of Asian Americans, Takagi (sociology, Univ. of California) examines the history and significance of the admissions controversy. By examining the debate over Asian American admissions at such universities as Stanford, Harvard, and Princeton, Takagi explains important developments in the politics of race. Her central argument is that controversial admissions policies facilitated a subtle but important shift away from racial and toward class preferences in affirmative action procedures. Takagi's careful analysis of this complex and sensitive subject will help readers understand the intricacies of university policy and the politics of admissions. Recommended for academic libraries.
- Samuel T. Huang, Northern Illinois Univ. Libs., DeKalb
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Rutgers University Press (March 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813519144
• ISBN-13: 978-0813519142
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,196,669 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Now for a REAL review of this book, January 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Retreat from Race: Asian-American Admissions and Racial Politics (Hardcover)

During the 1980s, there was a big controversy over whether elite colleges were placing a ceiling on the number of Asian-Americans they would admit. Takagi takes a sociological look at this issue as it affected two premier UC schools. Takagi tracks how universities pitifully defended themselves first by saying, "Well, we have enough science majors" and then by saying, "We can't admit Asians if we have to give so much affirmative action to blacks." It is particularly interesting seeing this book in light of Proposition 209's aftermath. Having read this book before I headed to Berkeley's law school, I found it a very useful guide. I think this text is a good addition to the burgeoning field of Asian-American studies.

0 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice detective work into the 1980's admission wars, June 27, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Retreat from Race: Asian-American Admissions and Racial Politics (Hardcover)

I'm Arthur Hu, and I'm mentioned as the prime
culprit in turning UC away from strict quotas.
She's got me wrong when she says I'm against
all preferences, I'm just for putting on a limit,
disclosing differential standards, and putting
a ban on strict quotas, which is exactly what
Berekeley and UCLA were doing with 8%+ black
and 20% Hispanic admissions, exactly equal to
their stated goals.

I've stashed away a few extra copies of you
need them.