"At its core, The Diversity Principle asks universities, courts, and organizations to stop pretending that diversity is optional. Oppenheimer makes it clear that diversity is not a favor granted to the excluded. Instead, it is a condition for excellence, discovery, and democratic legitimacy. In a time when many institutions are choosing silence or retreat, Oppenheimer's work insists on something else--memory. The reminder that, properly understood, diversity is a commitment to knowledge itself."--Marybeth Gasman, Forbes "David B. Oppenheimer has performed an amazing feat of intellectual detective work by tracing the origins of the concept of diversity in university admissions--and thereby showing that diversity has always been essential to the liberal tradition."--Nicholas Lemann, dean emeritus, Columbia Journalism School, and author of Higher Admissions: The Rise, Decline, and Return of Standardized Testing "'Diversity' is no newfangled idea.

Philosophers and political theorists have known and written for centuries that diverse groups make better decisions. David B. Oppenheimer's comprehensive tour of diversity's advocates provides essential armor against those who would now dismiss its value."--Richard Rothstein, author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America and coauthor of Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law "David B. Oppenheimer explores the diversity principle through fascinating accounts of the historical figures who developed it. His book is a powerful intellectual history presented through captivating stories about compelling characters."--Nadine Strossen, author of Free Speech: What Everyone Needs to Know.