Residential Segregation in Postapartheid South Africa

Abstract

The author examines the likely course of residential desegregation in postapartheid South Africa, arguing that although the form of the apartheid city has changed, most of the black population will remain in segregated areas. The relevant literature reveals that much of the comparative work on urban segregation in the United States and South Africa has been written without sufficient attention to their differing historical specificities. After comparing urban segregation in these countries and examining the value of a study of residential desegregation in the United States, the author concludes that despite superficial similarities, the vast differences require caution about making direct comparisons between the two.