This special issue commemorates and reassesses the educational effects of the Brown decision. The articles are grounded in theories and methods of several disciplines, including law, philosophy, economics, political science, sociology, and public policy. The researchers examine the way the Court frames racial inequality and whether the proposed remedy is consistent with the institutional and legal context at the time of the ruling. In addressing these questions, the authors pay particular attention to the nature of the constitutional argument, use of social evidence in shaping judicial decisions, the political economy of policy development and implementation in addressing racial desegregation, and the ongoing challenge of ensuring equality of schooling opportunity for the increasingly diverse student population.

This special issue commemorates and reassesses the educational effects of the Brown decision. The articles are grounded in theories and methods of several disciplines, including law, philosophy, economics, political science, sociology, and public policy. The researchers examine the way the Court frames racial inequality and whether the proposed remedy is consistent with the institutional and legal context at the time of the ruling. In addressing these questions, the authors pay particular attention to the nature of the constitutional argument, use of social evidence in shaping judicial decisions, the political economy of policy development and implementation in addressing racial desegregation, and the ongoing challenge of ensuring equality of schooling opportunity for the increasingly diverse student population.