Introduction to Critical Race
Theory (CRT)
English 10B
Spring 2013
What does race have to do with it?
 When were you first aware of yourself as a
member of a particular racial group?
 When were you first aware of people from other
races?
 When did you first witness or experience
someone being treated differently because of his
or her racial group?
 When was a time you realized that you would be
treated differently because of your race?
 What is one other significant event in your life
related to race or racism?
Step to the Line - Activity
What did you notice during and/or after the
activity?
How did you feel about the questions?
What thoughts do you have on the idea of
race and privilege?
What factors do you believe go into
ultimate success in life?
Common misconceptions on the topic of
race…
 Race is not a biological category, but an idea, a
social construction
 Saying that color doesn’t matter, actually draws
attention to the fact that we are paying attention
to the fact that colors exist.
 Racism is not a Black/White issue – but also
affects everyone in society – White, Black,
Latino, Asian, Native American, bi-racial, and
multi-racial people – because of the social
advantages and disadvantages associated with
race.
So, what is Critical Race Theory?
It is a specific set of principles and
theories that actively engage general
racial theories of particular times and/or
social contexts.
Along with class and gender, it completes
the main set of three oppressed social
groups.
What are the purposes of CRT?
 To advance social justice ideas to the general
public, and scholars, while also aiming to even out
social inequalities
 Study the intersections between different groups
of minorities. Recognizing that race and racism
work with and through gender, ethnicity, class,
sexuality and/or nation as systems of power
 Study the significance of mass media and popular
culture in the distribution of power and the
perception of minorities
What does CRT ask us to focus on?
Is this good for people of color (we don’t
say “colored people”)?
How does this portray people of color?
What conclusions seem to be made about
people of color?
What intersectionalities (race + gender,
class, ethnicity, sexuality) can you find and
what do they mean?
What perspective do you take when using
Critical Race Theory?
The perspective of the minority, of the
oppressed, of the person who is viewed as
“other”
Simply put…
Critical Race Theory examines how
people of different races are portrayed.
Let’s try it out…
 Take a look at the
advertisement from
the 1920’s to the
right.
 Write down what you
see – as if you were
describing the photo
to me over the
telephone…
Analysis using Critical Race Theory
Use the questions below to
critique the ad through the lens
of CRT.
 Is this good for people of color
(we don’t say “colored people”)?
 How does this portray people of
color?
 What conclusions seem to be
made about people of color?
 What intersectionalities (race +
gender, class, ethnicity,
sexuality) can you find and what
do they mean?
And so…
After your analysis, what does it all mean?
What can you take away from this?
What insight does this give you about the
society that Jem and Scout are living in?
Let’s try an ad that is more modern…
 Take a look at the
advertisement from
2012 to the right.
 Write down what you
see – as if you were
describing the photo
to me over the
telephone…
Analysis using Critical Race Theory
Use the questions below to
critique the ad through the lens
of CRT.
 Is this good for people of color
(we don’t say “colored people”)?
 How does this portray people of
color?
 What conclusions seem to be
made about people of color?
 What intersectionalities (race +
gender, class, ethnicity,
sexuality) can you find and what
do they mean?
And so…
After your analysis, what does it all mean?
What can you take away from this?
What insight does this give you about the
society we live in?
Then there is this gem…
This ad is brought to
us by a Ukrainian travel
company who is trying
to promote travel to
Asia.
 What do you think?
Racist? Why?
 Explain using the
analysis questions that
have to do with CRT…
Questions to ask…
 Is this good for people of
color (we don’t say
“colored people”)?
 How does this portray
people of color?
 What conclusions seem
to be made about people
of color?
 What intersectionalities
(race + gender, class,
ethnicity, sexuality) can
you find and what do they
mean?