Critical Race Theory

Critical race theory (CRT) places race and racism at the center of its critique and analyses. As a theoretical perspective, critical race theorists consider the ideological construction of race from broader perspectives of history, culture, social and power relations, and group- and self-interests. Critical race theorists define racism as a firmly entrenched structure that systematically benefits Whites at the expense of people of color. They refrain from seeing racism as just random and noticeable acts, but rather as unconscious acts or microagressions of individuals in everyday interactions. CRT, as a method of analysis, applies critical theory to social issues in explaining why the modern civil rights movement produced minimal advances in terms of legal, educational, and economic progress. In the post-civil rights era, critical race ...