October 9, 2007

A glance at the October issue of Commentary: Trusting in Diversity

By Jason M. Breslow

Ethnic and racial diversity is widely regarded as good for society, writes James Q. Wilson, a professor of public policy at Pepperdine University. Indeed, he says, diversity "has become akin to a national mandate in employment and, especially, in admissions to colleges and universities." So what should Americans make, he asks, of new research showing that, in the short term, at least, diversity tends to undermine social solidarity within communities?

According to that study, by Robert