S-Term: Law, Lawyers, and Transformation in Democratic South Africa

Catalog description

South Africa's transition to democracy in 1994 marked the formal end of the comprehensive political, economic, and social system of racial subordination known as apartheid. The country has changed dramatically since then, as the government has built several million new housing units, created social welfare systems, and created an array of government and private sector programs to combat discrimination and redress the effects of subordination. Yet the country remains among the most unequal in the world, with 64% of black South Africans living below the poverty line, compared to 1% of whites. Most non-white South Africans receive poor education, live in substandard housing, and have limited employment opportunities. In the last several years, discontent with the pace of economic and social transformation has sharpened, with many young people in particular arguing that the Mandela generation took an overly conciliatory approach to white privilege in the economy, society, and interpersonal relations. There is new dynamism at the top, too. Many South Africans have been disappointed in efforts by President, Cyril Ramaphosa (in office since 2018), to curtail corruption and expand redistributive economic and social policies. However, in 2024 the ruling African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1994 and entered into a governing coalition with the centrist Democratic Alliance, which some see as likely to improve governance. (Others worry that it will tilt policy in favor of whites.) This course provides an opportunity to engage South Africa at this exciting historical moment, through intensive study during a week at Stanford and meetings with lawyers, activists, community members, and possibly students, journalists, and politicians during a week in Cape Town. We will focus on how lawyers are struggling for social justice and economic…