In 1994, the world joined South Africa in celebration of the results of its first democratic election. The results, emblazoned on the world's memory with President Nelson Mandela waving to a multiracial crowd, signified the end of apartheid and an emerging new era of hope. However, Mandela's recent death has given birth to a more critical view of his "Rainbow Nation." No matter how examined, education in South Africa remains steadfastly unequal, with many White children retaining the educational privileges inherent to apartheid. White children in South Africa overwhelmingly attend wealthy, fully resourced schools, while the vast majority of Black and Coloured children attend woefully underresourced schools.
Based upon three sets of studies in schools in and around Cape Town, Whiteness Is the New South Africa highlights drastic racial disparities, suggesting that educational apartheid continues unabated, potentially fostering future generations of impoverished Black and Coloured communities. This book suggests that South Africa remains committed to stifling the intellectual, emotional, and economic development of Black and Coloured youth, while simultaneously investing in White children.
Author Biography
Christopher B. Knaus is Professor of Education at the University of Washington Tacoma. A respected race scholar, educational practitioner, and community advocate, Dr. Knaus is committed to the non-standardization of schools, cultures, and public spaces. He is the author of the celebrated
school-based book project Shut Up and Listen: Teaching Writing That Counts in Urban Schools.
M. Christopher Brown II is Executive Vice President and Provost of the Southern University System. Regarded as an international scholar, Dr. Brown is known for his studies of historically black colleges, university governance, educational equity, professorial responsibilities, and institutional contexts. He earned the Phillip Chinn Book Award for The Children Hurricane Katrina Left Behind: Schooling Context, Professional Preparation, and Community Politics.
