Critical Race Theory

Definition: Critical race theory (CRT) focuses on the personal experiences of people of color. Legal scholars developed CRT because they were aware of the racism occurring in society and they wanted to create a tool that challenged the oppressive structures that promote white supremacy. CRT challenges the belief that racism will be eliminated by color blindness, that racism is not a systemic issue, and that one can challenge racism without acknowledging other forms of oppression and isms.

Application: CRT can be applied to community development work because it is important to understand how social issues specifically affect people of color. Applying this theory will help community developers identify the actual cause of issues that affect people of color instead of believing the stereotypes that are held against people of color. CRT would help build rapport with folks in the community and help with identifying strengths as well as deficiencies. CRT can also help in community development by changing the public's perception of social problems, which will increase outside support of development projects.

Adaptation: CRT can be adapted to all other disciplines besides social work or community development that work with people of color. The education field can adapt CRT to better work with parents of color and to help understand children of color who perform differently than their peers.  It can also be adapted to the legal system to analyze rates of incarceration for people of color. Lastly, CRT can be used in the medical field to assess the relationship people of color have with medicine and/or doctors.

Reference:
Solórzano, D. G., & Yosso, T. J. (2002). Critical race methodology: Counter-storytelling as an analytical framework for education research. Qualitative Inquiry, 8(1), 23-44. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/1756376/Critical_Race_Methodology_Counter-Storytelling_as_an_Analytical_Framework_for_Education_Research._Daniel_G._Solorzano_and_Tara_J._Yosso_Qualitative_Inquiry_2002