In 1976, a group of Italian American professors at City University of New York asked to be added as an affirmative action category for promotion and hiring. Italian Americans are usually considered white in the US and would not be covered under affirmative action policies, but the professors believed they were underrepresented. Libertarian economist Thomas Sowell wrote in his book, Affirmative Action Around the World: An Empirical Study, that affirmative action policies encourage non-preferred groups to designate themselves as members of preferred groups [i.e., primary beneficiaries of affirmative action] to take advantage of group preference policies. COUNT 5
QSN1 Where were the Italian American professors employed that asked to be added as an affirmative action category? ANS1 City University of New York QSN2 Which year did the Italian American Professors make their request? ANS2 1976 QSN3 What category of race do Italian Americans normally fall under? ANS3 white QSN4 What was the title of the book written by Thomas Sowell? ANS4 Affirmative Action Around the World: An Empirical Study QSN5 Why would Italian Americans want to get themselves designated as members of a preferred group? ANS5 to take advantage of group preference policies