Bottlenecks: A New Theory of Equal Opportunity
"This breakthrough book rethinks equality from the ground up, turning the spotlight on unexplored bottlenecks in the pursuit of a more just society. A fundamental contribution." --Bruce Ackerman, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science, Yale University"Joseph Fishkin develops the 'bottleneck' metaphor into a powerful lens for understanding the structure of opportunity in our society, and thereby recasts the 'equal opportunity' project in a way that is both novel and resonant with deeply rooted intuitions about fairness." --Cynthia Estlund, Catherine A. Rein Professor of Law, New York University School of Law"Bottlenecksbreaks a major step forward in conceptualizing how to promote meaningful opportunities for human flourishing in a world of pluralism as well as inequality.  It is a breath of fresh air amidst stale debates over abstract conceptions of equaliy-but more importantly, it charts a path of conceptual and policy development that has enormous promise." --Rogers M. Smith, Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania"Joseph Fishkin offers a new and important framework for defining equal opportunity - one that gets beyond questions of 'merit.'  If what looks like 'merit' is more often than not a result of advantages that can be bought, how can opportunities ever be 'equal'?  Fishkin provides an original answer, suggesting new ways to open up opportunities by loosening the bottlenecks that are holding people back." --Lani Guinier, Bennett Boskey Professor of Law, Harvard Law School