Constructing Social Equity in Theory and Practice: Two Competing, Divergent Perspectives

• Author: Stephanie P. Newbold,Marc Holzer
• Published date: 01 May 2020
• Date: 01 May 2020
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020908711
• Subject Matter: Editorial

908711ARPXXX10.1177/0275074020908711The American Review of Public AdministrationEditorial
editorial2020
Editorial
American Review of Public Administration
2020, Vol. 50(4-5) 351
Constructing Social Equity in Theory and
© The Author(s) 2020
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Practice: Two Competing, Divergent
https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074020908711
DOI: 10.1177/0275074020908711
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Perspectives
The pursuit of diversity and social equity is an important aim
other core obligations the Constitution requires her to uphold
for the advancement of democratic-constitutional norms and
while working on behalf of the state. We would be remiss if
values in public administration. Underscoring how to prac-
we did not highlight that failing to understand the application
tice social equity in a democratic framework is a critical way
of constitutional and statutory law can result in serious liabil-
public sector organizations work to hire, retain, and promote
ity infractions on behalf of the government and the civil ser-
individuals and groups that the law, governmental institu-
vant for failing to maintain competence in the rule of law
tions, and society in general have traditionally discriminated
itself.
against.
James Svara and James Brunet take a broader, more his-
George Frederickson has argued for decades that the prin-
torically and institutionally sensitive perspective. They share
ciple of social equity joins efficiency and effectiveness as
the viewpoint that when administrative agencies and civil
one of the three pillars of public administration. These are
servants defend the practice of social equity they are recog-
certainly notable targets to measure public sector achieve-
nizing, in a deliberative manner, the need to address the
ment and failure.
unequal impact of governmental decision-making on all con-
The Constitutional School of Public Administration, by
stituencies within the...