The legitimacy and value of affirmative action policies remain controversial and contested. The essays in this collection examine the case for affirmative action in the UK in relation to employment, higher education, the legal profession, the judiciary, political representation, and minority language rights. They draw upon experience of the uses of and justifications for affirmative action in the United States, Canada, and Germany.

The themes explored in the collection relate, first, to the way in which affirmative action is conceptualized and how this affects its perceived justifiability. Secondly, the essays highlight the importance of context in evaluating the case for affirmative action. Thirdly, the collection emphasises the need for pragmatic judgments about the likely effectiveness and costs of such policies in the different circumstances in which they are employed.