Not Only for Myself -Op/89

""We tend toward ignorance about the mistreatments along group lines [race, religion, sexual orientation]--and nonetheless participate in the constant, unthinking use of group categories,"" argues Minow, a law professor at Harvard, who here aims not at policy solutions but at a ""productive approach"" to such paradoxes. It is an intriguing approach, though it avoids some practical questions regarding how to achieve such changes. Minow recognizes that ""identity politics"" brings valuable solidarity but cautions that group-based solutions treat group identity as fixed, not fluid. Minow endorses remedies for group-based harms such as reparations to Japanese Americans interned during WWII. Her suggestions for our education system are modest; she supports activities (academic, recreational, cultural) that bring together children from various backgrounds in the pursuit of common goals. Minow expresses concern about affirmative action as practiced and suggests that it ""should be reclaimed, or renamed"" to indicate a collective effort toward a more inclusive future. Despite her misgivings about affirmative action and the lack of diversity in American institutions, Minow points out that the gap between rich and poor is a far larger problem. (Aug.)