So, what would a just South Africa look like, and how do we achieve it? If we’ve inherited a legacy of racial injustice, what does racial justice demand of us now? Different government policies may have radically different impacts on people’s lives. So the issue needs to be discussed as fully as possible in all sections of society. And philosophy can make an important contribution to clarifying what is at stake.

Charles W. Mills (Northwestern) discusses how philosophy, which is not “just dead white guys” and not “really a luxury,” can be of help to South Africans as they strive for a just society.