The power and limits of institutions in altering the racial hierarchy of the United States

A new lens on the history of school desegregation

Bibliographic Data

ID12912141
AuthorsShelby M Mcneill (0000-0003-2318-8459, Vanderbilt University), Kristie J Rowley (0000-0001-7321-3638, Springer Nature (Germany), corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume13
Issue3
Publication date2019-02-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociology Compass (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1751-9020 • E-ISSN: 1751-9020
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/soc4.12665
OpenAlexW2914289345
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited23

This article frames the history of school desegregation within the broader topic of the ability of institutions to generate shifts in macro‐level racial hierarchies. Utilizing the vast social science literature on the history of school desegregation, we specifically examine the level of involvement required from all three branches of the United States federal government to desegregate public schools. We argue that aggressive and repeated involvement was required from the United States federal government, including the Supreme Court, President, federal law enforcement agencies, and Congress, to desegregate public schools, thereby demonstrating the intense commitment needed from institutions to alter racial hierarchies. However, because most formerly desegregated public schools experienced rapid resegregation after declining involvement from the federal government, we also conclude that alterations to racial structures are unlikely to be maintained without continual force from institutions

Desegregation · Enforcement · Government (linguistics · Hierarchy · Law enforcement · Political science · Power (physics · Sociology · Supreme court · Critical Race Theory in Education · Law · Public Administration · Race, History, and American Society · School Choice and Performance

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