Social Justice and Education in the 21st Century Research from South Africa and the United States

The world is not an equal place. There are high- and low-income countries and high- and low-income households. For each group, there are differential educational opportunities, leading to differential educational outcomes and differential labor market opportunities. This pattern often reproduces the privileges and inequalities of groups in a society. This book explores this differentiation in education from a social justice lens. Comparing the United States and South Africa, this book analyzes each country’s developmental thinking on education, from human capital and human rights approaches, in both primary and higher education. The enclosed contributions draw from different disciplines including legal studies, sociology, psychology, computer science and public policy.

Introduction: Social Justice and Education in the 21^st Century.- Part I: Early Education and Schooling.- Chapter 1: Social Justice in the United States’ Early Education.- Chapter 2: Education and Labour Market Inequalities in South Africa.- Chapter 3: Reproducing Inequality in the South African Schooling System: What are the Opportunities.- Chapter 4: The Pursuit of Social Justice through Educational Policy for Poor, Rural and Special Needs Learners in South Africa.- Chapter 5: Children with Disabilities in South Africa: Policies for Early Identification and Education.- Chapter 6: I just want to have a better life and be who I want to be”: Competing Perspectives on LGBTI inclusion in South African Schools.- Part II: Higher Education.- Chapter 7: The remaking of South African higher education: A 25- year journey.- Chapter 8: Race, Social Justice, Higher Education and Financial Aid in the U.S.: The Case of African Americans.- Chapter 9: Higher Education Outcomes in South Africa: The Role of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.- Chapter 10: A Holistic Model for Student Success in STEM: The Case for a Comprehensive and Holistic Approach in Building the Pipeline.- Chapter 11: Black Women Professors in South African Universities: Advancing Social Justices.- Chapter 12: African American Women in Engineering: Intersectionality as a Pathway to Social Justice.- Chapter 13: Towards an African Linguistic Renaissance: A Case Study of a South African University.- Chapter 14: Ableism in the Academy?  A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Experiences of Students with Disabilities in U.S. Higher Education.- Chapter 15: Models of Excellence for Social Justice: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).- Part III: Education and Technology.- Chapter 16: The Role of Open Distance Learning in addressing Social Justice: A South African Case Study.- Chapter 17: General Perspectives Toward the Impact of AI on Race and Society.- Chapter 18: The Gendered Impact of Artificial Intelligence and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in South Africa: Inequality, Accessibility and Skills Development.- Chapter 19: Bringing Inequalities to the Fore: The Effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic and Other Disasters on Educational Inequalities in the United States.- Postscript: Decreasing Educational Inequalities and Advancing Social Justice.

Willie Pearson, Jr. is Professor of Sociology of Science and Technology at the School of History and Sociology, Georgia Institute of Technology (USA). His major research interests are sociology of family, sociology of education, science and technology policy, science engineering workforce, human resources in science and engineering, especially in underrepresented groups. He has authored and co-edited several books, the most recent of which being Advancing Women in Science (Springer).

Vijay Reddy is a Distinguished Research Specialist in the Education and Skills Inclusive Education Development research program at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in South Africa. Her three major areas of research are large scale achievement studies, skills planning and public understanding of science. She also conducts life history research. Dr. Reddy has published a number of journal articles, book chapters, peer reviewed monographs and research reports.