Critical Race Theory – Flashcards

- Created by a collection of scholars & activist wanting to study & transform the relationship between race, racism & power. - Used education, Poli sci, history, lit & coms. - deliberately activist theory - not just interested in understanding but wants to transform for the better. - Contains 6 Key concepts

- happens everyday to most people who are visual minorities.

- there are people who benefit from racism (economically & psychically) - Material Determinism/Insterest Convergance - those priviledged by racism have little incentive to stop racism - easier for white people to achieve power (within corporations, gov't, etc.) - Hierarchy: Social & economic

- Race is not an objective, adherent or fixed category, it is not biological. - We have made race important by priviledging certain characteristics over others. (Believe that white is better, more innocent, pure).

- particular environments/particular times we have priviledged some minorities over others. (Mexicans & Asians used for agriculture, except when japanese sent to camps, or we're looking at mexicans as stealing "white" jobs) - Relying on stereotypes (Asians are smart, blacks are good at sports) - Cultural appropriation

- No person has a single, easily stated, unitary identity. Everyone has pontentially conflicting, overlapping identities, loyalties & allegiances. - Condeleza Rice, black woman, highly educated, republican. - Not everyone will have the same experience.

- Because of their different histories and experiences with oppression, black, Indian, Asian, and Latino/a writers and thinkers may be able to communicate to their white counterparts matters that the whites are unlikely to know.

- Being able to pass for white, hence your understanding of discrimination might be different. (light skin minorities)

While #6 claims unique voice of color #5 claims multiple identity markers - 6 is similar to standpoint theory's idea that some stand points are more complete or accurate than others.