The Critical Race Theory
The Critical Race Theory is a theory that targets and examines society and culture with regards to the intersection of race, law, and power. This theory that was soon morphed into a movement is loosely unified by two common themes. The first theme was that white supremacy and racial power are preserved over time and somehow, laws play a significant role in this process. Secondly, the critical theory proposes the possibility of changing the relationship between law and racial power. Thus, the critical theory unlike the critical race theory address the question: Why does racism persist even though most white individuals reject white racial superiority. Regarding the critical theory, the racial categories are not connected to human biological diversity in any meaningful way. Instead, historical, political, and cultural patterns create a “common sense” form of race categorization. Such categories of racism are encouraged by institutions, collective practices, and cultural systems.
Jane H. Hill
In this book, Hill analysis explains how “folk theory” or “common sense” knowledge that takes things for granted actually takes away from what is really important and focuses on the irrelevant, thus causing intellectual confusion and snares. Overall, Hill claims that “folk theory” is seeking a genetic solution for a non-genetic, social dilemma. Hill also targets the “folk theory” notion that racism is a matter of individual belief. Thus, Hill claims that the solution of simply educating individuals who are thought to be ignorant and racist is in fact inadequate since it is institutional and systematic racist applications that are at the core of the problem.