Critical Race Theory

The academic tradition of critical race theory (CRT) presents a unique theoretical position that challenges color-blind epistemological and theoretical frameworks within social science scholarship. CRT scholars in legal studies advanced the idea that racism is a permanent feature of American society. Herein lies the major theoretical and rhetorical successes of CRT within educational research. By helping educators better understand the complexity of race, CRT can prove helpful in the design and study of out-of-school learning experiences for students of color. This entry further defines CRT and discusses its development and application to scholarship in education, including out-of-school learning.

In theory and practice, CRT represents a radical departure from mainstream educational theories in several ways. First, it makes explicit the permanence of racial structures that maintain the ...