Racial integration in the USA and South Africa: lessons in a comparative perspective

The year 2004 marked the 50th anniversary of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case that put an official end to segregated schooling in the USA. Desegregation has received little attention as of late, yet a number of scholars argue that the work of desegregation is far from being complete in the USA. The aim of this paper is to refocus attention on desegregation through a detailed comparison with a more recent case: the racial integration of schools in post‐Apartheid South Africa. While South Africa is not held up as the perfect example of integration, it illuminates concepts and ideas that may explain shortcomings of the US process and present new alternatives to revitalize the process. Likewise, it is hoped that the historical example of the USA is instructive to those involved in the integration effort in South Africa.