Date & Time: 7:30 – 8:30 p.m., Dec. 10 (Thursday)
Venue: C302, PKU Shenzhen
Language: English
Lecturer: Stephen Yandle
Description of the Public Talk:
From the founding to the present American law has applied dramatically different standards for acceptance or prohibition of various forms of discrimination. There have been times when discrimination that violated contemporary ideals of equality and fairness was condoned or even mandated by law. At other times epic changes through national legislation or Constitutional amendment prohibited such discrimination. On other occasions bold judicial decisions struck down such discrimination. More recently controversy has surrounded legislation and court decisions over the question of whether affirmative steps designed to ensure equal treatment are themselves a form of impermissible discrimination. That history may be divided into five distinct “eras” that reflect a broad spectrum of attitudes toward discrimination. Most interesting is the fact that there has not been a one directional progression from era to era but pendulum swings back and forth.
