Teaching in the Mirror

Abstract

The field of social psychology in the United States has only just begun to turn its gaze beyond American borders to explore social issues in cross-cultural context. Research and pedagogy on racism and privilege in particular will benefit by examining familiar dynamics in unfamiliar contexts. It is through this disciplinary lens that the author views the rich pedagogical possibilities for teaching about the psychology of prejudice in the United States by taking a close look at contemporary South Africa. This article draws primarily on the author's experience teaching about South Africa in an introductory course on the psychology of prejudice and racism, as well as other undergraduate courses in social psychology. The value of the unique South African case for American psychology students lies in the rich array of similarities and differences between the two countries, and especially in the remarkable transformations that shape post-apartheid South Africa