Critical Race Theory and Black Marxism: Implications for Higher Education

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper, Matthew Cowley advances a theoretical approach toward higher education drawn from critical race theory (CRT) and Black Marxism. After an overview of CRT and Black Marxism, Cowley builds a working understanding of two recent (re)conceptualizations of race and class analysis that draw from both: (1) economies of racism and (2) critical raceclass theory of education. Subsequently, he connects two assumptions of CRT and Black Marxism — whiteness as property and racial capitalism — to expound on an original hypothesis, relate it to relevant issues in higher education, and evaluate it by deploying the economies of racism theoretical approach.