critical race theory

Sometimes Critical Race Theory

[krit-i-kuhl reys thee-uh-ree, theer-ee]

noun

1. a conceptual framework that considers the impact of historical laws and social structures on the present-day perpetuation of racial inequality: first used in legal analyses, and now applied in education, communication studies, and sociology. CRT

Word History and Origins

Origin of critical race theory¹

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

He pointed to actions such as Schmitt opposing critical race theory and reviewing public school textbooks.

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At others, prospective landlords would offer a lease only if the Untold Story dropped its books on critical race theory, which she refused to do.

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His most lasting and consequential “achievement” may be defunding critical foreign aid and domestic medical research programs on the basis of specious if not outright delusional accusations that they were involved in advancing Marxism, transgender ideology, and critical race theory.

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By protesting books in bulk and performing scandalized outrage with evocative words like “pornography” and “critical race theory,” they whip up the right amount of fear while rarely pointing to any specific content or defining their own terminology.

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The field of critical race theory, known widely as CRT, examines the extent to which racial inequality and racism are systemically embedded in American institutions.

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