Abstract:
Because discrimination is systemic, efforts to counter it must also be systemic. The
South African case is instructive because it is extreme: Apartheid deliberately excluded
the majority of the population, Black South Africans, from fully participating
in society, but post-Apartheid efforts to achieve transformation have had limited
success. This article examines the university system, where transformation involves
increasing the size of the system; improving scientific quality and changing the
racial composition. This will require more Black South Africans to do PhDs, to select
academic careers and to be selected into the top universities. Policy interventions
can be developed for each of these elements, but will they be complementary or
contradictory? We simulate a calibrated model to address this question. Results
reveal direct trade-offs, with different combinations resulting in different benefits.
By highlighting the differential gains of different policy combinations, this article can
support informed policy-making about a highly complex issue.
