The Shape of the River: Long-Term Consequences of Considering Race in College and University Admissions

The William G. Bowen Series

by Derek Bok, William G. Bowen (Preface), James L. Shulman

This is the book that has forever changed the debate on affirmative action in America. The Shape of the River is the most far-reaching and comprehensive study of its kind. It brings a wealth of empirical evidence to bear on how race-sensitive admissions policies actually work and clearly defines the effects they have had on over 45,000 students of different races. Its conclusions mark a turning point in national discussions of affirmative action--anything less than factual evidence will no longer suffice in any serious debate of this vital question.

Glenn Loury's new foreword revisits the basic logic behind race-sensitive policies, asserting that since individuals use race to conceptualize themselves, we must be conscious of race as we try to create rules for a just society. Loury underscores the need for confronting opinion with fact so we can better see the distinction between the "morality of color-blindness" and the "morality of racial justice."

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Sociology, Race, Social Science

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Derek Curtis Bok (born March 22, 1930) is an American lawyer and educator, and the former president of Harvard University.

Bok was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Stanford University (B.A., 1951), Harvard Law School (J.D., 1954), and George Washington University (A.M., 1958). He taught law at Harvard from 1958, where he served as dean of the law school (1968–1971) and then as university president (1971–1991). Bok currently serves as the Faculty Chair at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard and continues to teach at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Kennedy School.

After 15 years away from the Harvard presidency, Bok returned to lead the university on an interim basis after Lawrence Summers's resignation took effect on July 1, 2006. He was succeeded by Drew Gilpin Faust on July 1, 2007.

Bok's wife, the sociologist and philosopher Sissela Bok, née Myrdal (daughter of the Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal and the politician and diplomat Alva Myrdal, both Nobel laureates), is also affiliated with Harvard, where she received her doctorate in 1970. His daughter, Hilary Bok, is a philosophy professor at Johns Hopkins University.

Reviews

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an in-depth book about race-driven admissions and their impact on the university. Much time is given on ideology and application. The concepts of 'color-blind' and 'racial justice' are defined and discussed at length. One does appreciate the desire to level the playing field of admissions but there is a cautionary message within the book. This book opened many eyes when first published.

[Jenn C Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

A more quantitative, but important look at race and admissions (read for grad school)

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a decent introduction to some new evidence for "why affirmative action works." But the focus is mostly on private insitutions -- maybe only a couple public, as I can recall.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Very data intense - it took me a long time to get through it. I actually set it down for several months and then picked it up again.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing--a must read!

[Mohamed Sall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used this for my senior exit project. Interesting insight about Affirmative Action. I am curious to see what the verdict on the use of affirmative action in college admissions will be.