1.8: Critical Race Theory
- Page ID
- 204910
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Critical Race Theory (CRT) is defined in the Britannica Encyclopedia as the "intellectual and social movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings, but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of colour."
It is important to consider that the other theories generally talked about thus far, are the work of the “original” theorists – that is to say the Euro-US/white perspectives on child development. The original theories exist in the field of child development as has been conceptualized, presented and sold in the US and Western European contexts. There are today more than 7 million people in the world. Only a small fraction live in the US and Western Europe. Obviously, other cultures have, and always have held, views of how children develop, whether children are active in their own development, which adults are most important, how similarities in families are explained, and so on.
The theories presented in developmental psychology textbooks have long been presented as the foundation of developmental and psychological research. With the monumental work of thinkers who have long been considered “controversial” as well as considering the long apology issued by the American Psychological Association, it is this author’s considered opinion that all social science textbooks should include information about Critical Race Theory. CRT is a conglomeration of ideas that not all proponents of CRT would agree on, but according to Delgado and Stefancic (2001), they would agree on the following
- Racism is normal, not aberrational – most people of color experience it on a daily basis. It is ordinary, and therefore difficult to cure or even address.
- The white-over-color ascendancy serves a material (for white moneyed people) and psychic purpose (for working classes). So large segments of people have little incentive to eradicate it.
- The social construction thesis holds that race is not actually scientifically based. It is a social construct that has moved to serve the purpose of separating people for the expediency of legal and material scapegoating.
- The majority society has racialized different groups at different times in different ways depending on economic, military and other needs.
- Then there is the issue that different races are not different in some essential way, but instead are very similar to all people in many ways, and one brown person might be very different from another in many ways. When I was writing my dissertation about East Indian families with adolescents, there were families I spoke with who were clearly from the highest echelons of SES because of being in business, while others were professionals. Still others were employed in service related jobs, and yet others have arrived in the North American west coast as refugees after protesting the Indian government for a separate state in India. So, one might argue that while ethnically or racially these are all "East Indians" or "South Asians," but their experiences, viewpoints and behaviors differ widely and might be more similar to other Vietnamese political refugees, White Jewish professionals or Cuban business people than each other.
- Somewhat opposite to the previous point is the idea that minorities are able to speak with a voice that White people are not able to. This is the notion that legal storytelling is possible only from a targeted viewpoint.
"The originators of CRT include Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Cheryl Harris, Richard Delgado, Patricia Williams, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Tara Yosso, among others. CRT transcends a Black/white racial binary and recognizes that racism has impacted the experiences of various people of color, including Latinx, Native Americans, and Asian Americans. As a result, different branches, including LatCrit, TribalCrit, and AsianCRT have emerged from CRT." (George, 2021).
This theory did not grow out of specifically psychological science. However, even if we are looking for traditional connections to a die-hard psychological science approach, we could tie this theory in quite easily with Bronfenbrenner’s theory. It is patently clear that US society has been built on rigid systems of discrimination. Any examination of the topics of development – cognition, stress, health, emotion, relationships – could and should be examined in light of these facts.
References:
Delgado, R. & Stefancic, J. (2001). Critical Race Theory: An Introduction. New York University Press: New York and London.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (Invalid Date). critical race theory. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/critical-race-theory
George, J. (2021). A lesson on Critical Race Theory. Human Rights, 46(2): Civil Rights Reimagining Policing. (ABA)
APA (2021). Apology to People of Color For APA's role in promoting, perpetuating, and failing to challenge racism, racial discrimination, and human hierarchy in US: Resolution adoped by APA Council of Represenatatives on Oct 29, 2021. Retrieved from APA Council Policy Manual.