Desegregation could be expected to have poor results when contacts were competitive, unsupported by authorities, and unequal. contact should be

The correct answer is "equal in status." Desegregation is illegal, which means that by law, policies are not allowed to segregate. However, desegregation itself is not a magic solution, as it only refers to policies. For successful results, it's imperative that there are people (like authorities) who support and enforce desegregation in order to contribute to an equal and collaborative society, rather than an unequal and competitive one.