30 Issues in 30 Days: "Diversity" in American Colleges
In the college context, "diversity" can mean a couple very different things. Neil Gross, sociology professor at Colby College in Maine, and author of What Happened to College?: How Politics Broke Higher Education and What We Can Do to Fix It (Simon & Schuster, 2026) and Natasha Warikoo, professor of Sociology at Tufts University and the author of the book Is Affirmative Action Fair? The Myth of Equity in College Admissions discuss the two distinct groups fighting for diversity -- one for a diversity of viewpoints, and the other for racial and economic diversity in the student body -- and how candidates are talking about the concept of diversity in the run-up to election day.
Proponents of affirmative action hold signs during a protest at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on July 1, 2023. (Joseph Prezioso / AFP via Getty Images)
