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Joshua JacksonWhat Exactly Is Critical Race Theory?
Critical Race Theory (CRT) is an academic framework that emerged in the 1970s and 1980s within the field of legal studies, primarily in the United States. It seeks to understand and challenge the ways in which race and racism intersect with law, social structures, and institutions. CRT acknowledges that racism is not merely an individual act, but a systemic and ingrained aspect of society that perpetuates racial inequality.
At its core, CRT questions the notion of race as a fixed and biological category, instead arguing that race is a socially constructed concept that is used to maintain power dynamics and privilege certain groups over others. It recognizes that racism is not limited to overt acts of discrimination, but also manifests through subtle and implicit biases, stereotypes, and structural inequalities.
CRT emphasizes the importance of storytelling, counter-narratives, and lived experiences of marginalized communities to challenge dominant narratives and expose hidden forms of racism. It aims to uncover the ways in which laws, policies, and institutions perpetuate racial inequality and maintain the dominance of white privilege.
One example of CRT in action is the critique of colorblindness as an inadequate approach to addressing racial inequality. Proponents of CRT argue that colorblindness, which suggests that ignoring race will lead to equality, fails to acknowledge and address the systemic racism that persists within society. Instead, CRT advocates for recognizing and addressing racial disparities and structural racism directly.
Another example is the examination of racial disparities in the criminal justice system. CRT highlights how racial bias influences policing practices, sentencing, and incarceration rates. It argues that racial inequality in the criminal justice system is not a result of individual prejudices, but rather a reflection of systemic racism embedded within the legal system itself.
It is important to note that CRT is a complex and evolving field of study, with various interpretations and perspectives within academia. Critics of CRT argue that it is divisive and promotes a victim mentality, while proponents argue that it provides a critical lens to understand and challenge racial inequality.
References:
1. Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017). Critical Race Theory: An Introduction. NYU Press.
2. Crenshaw, K. W., Gotanda, N., Peller, G., & Thomas, K. (Eds.). (1995). Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings that Formed the Movement. The New Press.
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User Comments
John Klaus
2 years ago
It's the newest tactic of an American political party to create even more one-issue voters in a desperate effort to revive its dying support.
Henry Moses
2 years ago
@Eliana Mandal I don't understand most of this due to your grammar. What are conservatives lying about? Which laws target black people specifically? Do you have any proof that police overwhelmingly kill black people because racism is permitted in all police culture?
Eliana Mandal
2 years ago
@Henry John Ehrilichman specifically said they were targeting black people. this is just another example of a conservative trying to lie. they are meant to target black people. police overwhelmingly kill black people because racism is very much permitted in police culture. stop trying to act like this shit isnt happening
Henry Moses
2 years ago
@Mallory I asked which laws stack the deck against black people specifically and you even mentioned that the law(s) your citing do not in fact stack the deck against black people specifically. I agree that a lot of drug laws are dumb. I just disagree with the premise that there are laws out there that specifically target a certain race.
Mallory Carter
2 years ago
@Henry @Chris how about drug laws that are dumb in the first place and are largely used to incarcerate black people and white folks who are below middle class? this is the purpose of the laws around drugs, just ask the Nixon administration.
Henry Moses
2 years ago
@Dorothy Even the Heritage Foundation admits that there are lingering effects of redlining. Congrats for being to the right of them. https://www.heritage.org/education/report/housing-redlining-and-its-lingering-effects-education-opportunity
Dorothy Arana
2 years ago
In order to think that redlining is still an issue that disenfranchises minorities in 2022 you have to be ignorant to a point that you have no idea how the housing market works, how appraisal works, how purchase and sale go through, how mortgages (and probably just loans in general) work, how low-income housing works and you most likely don't even know that FHA loans exist. I mean, do you really think we should just outlaw risk assessment? You have no understanding of the recent history with regards to housing or the market crash back in 07 and what caused it. (It was TOO easy for the disenfranchised to buy homes, if anything.) The idea of some racist banker plotting and scheming up ways to NOT write loans to minorities and NOT collect interest is pure fantasy.
Henry Moses
2 years ago
@Chris Which laws stack the deck against black people specifically?
Chris Edan
2 years ago
its a legal theory regarding how the law regards race and how the system is built in a way to stack the deck against black people. there are very valid things about this but i disagree with the whole " racism is prejudice plus power" bit for various reasons. however when a conservative talks about CRT, they are lying. full stop. nobody is teaching your third grader to hate themselves for being white. conservatives simply lie about everything so dont trust them.
Brian Torres
2 years ago
I learned about it for the first time when I was 20 and in an African American history course. I was amazed at how much had been kept from me my whole life in terms of history and it’s impacts on modern society. That class completely changed my life and my views