Carnegie Education

Critical Race Theory: some clarifications

In recent weeks Critical Race Theory (CRT) has received a great deal of publicity, on both sides of the Atlantic. Much of the discussion is fuelled by gross and inaccurate caricatures of CRT. 

Contrary to some of the depictions on Twitter, on talk-shows and even in Parliament;

CRT does not view all White people as evil and racist.
CRT does not peddle a view of Black people as powerless victims.
CRT does not imagine that racism is the only social problem and thereby erase issues of class, gender, disability and other forms of discrimination.

CRT is a thoughtful and multi-faceted approach to understanding how racism operates across society, including through both individual actions and through structural processes that shape the everyday reality in education, the health service, the criminal justice system and politics.

CRT began in the US but has grown to become an international approach, used by scholars in North America, Europe, Australia, Africa and South America. Those who use and contribute to CRT are a very diverse group of people, including members of different ethnic groups, different nationalities, different genders and people with disabilities. 

If you are interested in knowing more about CRT and education; this page will help:
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/crre/critical-race-theory/index.aspx

Learn more about race and racism via the Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality Talking Race Podcast Series 1
https://open.spotify.com/show/19PWJQzCWqK0ABdcKwEOcD 

There are examples of CRT analyses in practice here:
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/crre/digital-stories/index.aspx

 

(Vini Lander, Professor Race and Education, Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality, Leeds Beckett University and David Gillborn, CRRE)

Professor Vini Lander

Director Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality / Carnegie School Of Education
Vini Lander is Professor of Race and Education and Director of the Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality in the Carnegie School of Education.

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