Abstract
One of the most misunderstood educational methodologies and pedagogical rubrics in the United States today is Critical Race Theory. The teaching of the theory has been banned in some states and restricted in others. Critical Race Theory has been portrayed as biased, anti-American, incendiary, misguided and, for some, evil. Yet, the public knows little of the actual meaning of Critical Race Theory. What is it about Critical Race Theory that sets off such emotions and occasions media and government interference and censorship? While the terminology, Critical Race Theory, may be new, Critical Race Theory’s roots are grounded in the sociological conflict theory perspective and the social problems concept of institutional discrimination. Both of these have been recognized sociological perspectives for some time and have a long tradition. This paper argues that Critical Race Theory provides an important and needed intellectual perspective on race relations in the United States. This paper does the following: (1) Defines and delineates the exact meaning of Critical Race Theory, (2) Demonstrates how its is grounded in traditional sociological theory and (3) Discusses the pros and cons of Critical Race Theory.
Presenters
John RayProfessor, Liberal Studies/Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Montana Technological University, Montana, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
RACE, SOCIOLOGY, CONFLICT THEORY
