Critical Race Research Articles

Critically quantitative: measuring community cultural wealth on surveys

ABSTRACT This study explores the quantitative measurement of Community Cultural Wealth (CCW), an asset-based approach to understanding the experiences of students from systemically marginalized racial/ethnic groups. Grounded in critical race theory, CCW focuses on forms of capital utilized by marginalized populations that are often unrecognized/undervalued by traditional social science research. Most previous studies on CCW have relied on qualitative methods; we argue that quantitative critical race theory, or ‘QuantCrit’, can complement those studies by statistically specifying assets possessed by students from marginalized populations as a step toward reimagining institutions that elevate their importance. This paper aims to develop a CCW scale to quantitatively explore the concept, while acknowledging the overlaps among and the dynamic nature of the forms of capital emphasized in conceptualization. Findings from exploratory factor analysis are largely consistent with the original CCW framework but suggest some important ways in which the framework can be further developed.

Correction to Focusing the critical race psychology lens: CRT and the psychological study of social issues

Correction to Focusing the critical race psychology lens: CRT and the psychological study of social issues

“Constant dropping wears away a stone”: Chinese international women instructors’ duoethnography on advancing racial equity

Faculty of color are constantly experiencing trauma and racial inequities in inherently Eurocentric educational spaces where their histories, knowledge, and experiences are delegitimized and marginalized. Employing critical race feminism (CRF) and White racial identity development model, this article details ways in which two Chinese international women instructors grappled with tensions and trauma and celebrated (small) joys and successes within Predominantly White Institutions (PWI) in the United States. We drew on duoethnography, a dialogic methodological approach grounded in social justice, to make meaning of, (re)construct, and advance racial equity in pedagogy. We examined and analyzed four sources of data: our personal narratives, transcripts of eight Zoom meetings, reflection journals, and informal conversational exchanges. We identified three strategies for navigating dissonance and conflicts: 1) being vulnerable, 2) recognizing shared and differing marginalization or privileges, and 3) building allies intentionally and strategically.

(Un)critical geographies of race: A critical race discourse analysis of an online local history resource

ABSTRACT Websites that provide accounts of local history represent powerful curricular possibilities for K-12 history teachers and those of all ages who engage with historical narratives centered on place. The extent to which, however, such resources furnish explicitly racialized interpretations of place often determines how educators and learners can use them in social studies contexts. In this critical race discourse analysis, we examined the function of race in Wacohistory.org, a local history website comprised of 200 entries. Drawing on critical geographies of race as our theoretical lens, we found that the website de-racialized Waco’s geography and ultimately overlooked how racial power has shaped the history of this city, and we consider specifically what this oversight meant for Black Wacoans. Thus, we argue that Wacohistory.org discounted how race has historically determined placed-based access and experiences for Wacoans. This study offers implications and recommendations that speak to what was lost in failing to racialize a particular online history curriculum, contributing to the literature concerned with race-evasive spatial histories that ultimately thwart meaningful local historical inquiry and the theoretical prospects that critical geographies of race offer social studies.

"I'm here. We're here. My people and I exist": Exploring the psychopolitical experiences of Black immigrant college students attending predominantly White institutions.

Despite the ever-growing presence of Black immigrant college students in the United States, little is known about their unique campus experiences or their mental health outcomes as it relates to psychopolitical determinants of well-being. This qualitative study aimed to explore the unique psychopolitical experiences of 14, first- and second-generation Black immigrant college students attending predominately White institutions in the United States. Using the theoretical frameworks of critical race theory, intersectionality, and psychopolitical validity to guide our study, a phenomenological approach uncovered six themes and 11 subthemes: (1) collective well-being, (2) relational well-being, (3) individual well-being (purpose; health and wellness; critical consciousness), (4) collective suffering (neocolonialism, oppressive policies, and political violence; institutional oppression; barriers to mental health care), (5) relational suffering (implicit racial bias, stereotypes, and microaggressions; violence and brutality), and (6) individual suffering (ethno-racial trauma; isolation; school-related stress). We highlight implications for practitioners working with Black immigrant college students such as providing culturally responsive mental health care and advocating for decolonized and antiracist trainings at predominately White institutions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Unveiling Tolstoy Through a Critical Race Theory Feminist Lens: A Social Constructivist Approach

This study re-examines the life and works of Leo Tolstoy, one of the most influential Russian writers, through the integrated lenses of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and feminist theory, employing a social constructivist approach. By analysing Tolstoy's significant works, including "War and Peace" and "Anna Karenina," this research explores how his narratives address the intersectionality of race, gender, and class. By critically examining characters such as Natasha Rostov, Anna Karenina, and various marginalised figures, the study uncovers Tolstoy's critique of his time's social constructs and power dynamics. This Analysis highlights Tolstoy's progressive empathy for the oppressed and the complexity of his portrayal of women and ethnic minorities. Furthermore, it discusses the contemporary relevance of his work in understanding and addressing ongoing social injustices. By situating Tolstoy's literary contributions within the frameworks of CRT and feminist theory, this research offers new insights into the enduring significance of his critique of systemic inequalities, emphasising the importance of intersectional perspectives in literary studies.

The challenges of confronting racism as a social disease by second-generation Indians in social and professional space in Australia: A qualitative study

ABSTRACT This qualitative study investigated the experiences of racism encountered by second-generation Indian Australians in social and professional domains through semi-structured interviews with 30 participants aged 15–25 years living in Melbourne and Sydney. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants. Data was analysed thematically using critical race theory. Key findings included experiences of racism in educational settings, which had psychological impacts. Moreover, racism also influenced family life and career opportunities, reflecting tangible consequences. The study underlines distinct challenges that emerged based on gender, religion, geographic location and socio-economic background, highlighting intersectionality. Racism was found to permeate multiple life spheres through institutional and individual biases. The findings highlight that anti-racism strategies addressing educational, workplace and community inclusion in an intersectional framework, thereby advancing multicultural societies of equity and belonging for all.

Design of a Social Justice Curriculum to Expand Critical Consciousness Among Resident Trainees.

Health equity curricula emphasizing critical pedagogy and centering perspectives of those with marginalized identities, both in curriculum design and execution, have yet to be described in interdisciplinary graduate medical education settings. The application of public health critical race praxis (PHCRP) in the redesign and evaluation of a social medicine immersion month (SMIM) curriculum. A mandatory, 4-week course within the Residency Program for Social Medicine in the Bronx, NY. First-year residents in internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, and clinical psychology fellows between 2019 and 2020. Residents and faculty underrepresented in medicine employed PHCRP to ground SMIM in critical pedagogy and structural competency with the goals of increasing critical consciousness, sensitizing trainees to structural barriers faced by patients, and promoting meaningful engagement in advocacy. SMIM was evaluated pre- and post-curriculum using a validated critical consciousness and intersectionality survey, with additional questions to assess competency and behaviors. Participants also provided course feedback. Participants demonstrated significant increases across all domains of the measure (Racism + 1.62 (p < .01), Classism + 1.62 (p < .05), Heterosexism + 1.06 (p < .05)). Participant feedback was positive. PHCRP is a valuable model for designing health equity curriculum. SMIM provides insights for incorporating this framework into GME curricula.

Motherhood, Trauma and Justice: A Critical Look at Black Women's Reentry Pathways

Objectives: This article seeks to investigate the particular problems that Black mothers with justice involvement experience upon reentry and to offer a more effective framework for their assistance. Hypothesis: Traditional reentry frameworks fail to address the complexity that emerges from the combination of race, gender, and trauma experienced by Black mothers. Methods: The article conducts a critical intersectional analysis using Critical Race Theory (CRT), Black Feminist Theory (BFT), and Trauma-Informed Care (TIC). This study analyzes previous research and combines the findings from each framework. Results: The research demonstrates three essential things: that systemic racism in the criminal justice system disproportionately imprisons Black women, contributing to unfavorable reentry experiences; that Black women show perseverance and opposition to carceral regimes, but their unique perspectives and agency are frequently left unattended; and that trauma is common among Black women and has an immense impact on their reentry experiences. The requirement for trauma-informed support programs is vital. Conclusion: Based on the findings, a re-conceptualized reintegration support framework is presented, focusing on racial justice, gender equality, and the well-being of Black women and their families.

Flipping the Narrative: A Unifying Framework for Juvenile Court-based Forensic Social Work Practice

Professional social workers are trained in multiple competencies and occupy various positions within the forensic landscape. Unified by a code of ethics that emphasizes social justice and the protection and empowerment of marginalized populations and a philosophical approach that recognizes the interplay of individual and environmental factors, social work leadership in youth justice policy and practice is vital. This article proposes a unifying framework for macro, mezzo, and micro court-based forensic social work practice in the 21st century that draws from post-modern critical social work theory. The lifelong negative impacts of court involvement for young people are well documented and contribute to persistent societal inequities. Pre-disposition court practices can mitigate or further harm court-involved youth. “Flipping the Narrative” is a culturally relevant practice framework for evaluating and designing youth court practices that recognize the intersectionality of the identities and experiences of court-involved youth. The proposed framework incorporates the practical implications of Critical Theory, specifically Critical Race Theory, the Theory of African American Offending, and Queer Theory, and relevant practice approaches, such as Social Justice Youth Development and Narrative Therapy, to analyze current youth court practices, propose areas for further evaluation and innovation, and recommend practice enhancements for defense-based forensic social workers. The urgency for innovation in one New England state is illustrated through a case study.

Meritocracy and material consequences at the intersection of race, class, and disability for pre-service PE teachers

Disproportionate rates of poverty among Black and Latine populations in the United States exemplify material consequences and ideological meritocracies of systemic racism. While education is often touted as a way to escape poverty, legacies of racism, classism, and ableism embedded within higher education and physical education teacher education (PETE) confront Black and Latine undergraduates directly, forcing them to navigate additional emotional and social barriers. We examined how Black and Latine pre-service physical education (PE) teachers enrolled in predominantly white institutions faced specific hurdles and/or barriers to teacher licensure along with material consequences of classism and ableism. We used qualitative visual inquiry, including narrative-based, semi-structured, and conversational interviews, and photo elicitation. We analyzed data deductively using intersectional Critical Race Theory. The first theme highlights a collective narrative of socioeconomic status’ bounding role in participants’ PETE stories, evidencing potential disruptions to successful teacher licensure. We then shift focus to share the stories of four Black and Latine pre-service PE teachers with learning disabilities. Participants highlighted a discourse of meritocracy, where academic accommodations were perceived as “advantages,” overlapping with institutional neoliberalism that ignores systemic oppression for poor and working-class pre-service PE teachers with and without learning disabilities. Participants’ narratives highlight systematic patterns of marginalization related directly to socioeconomic status and learning ability that PETE faculty and administrators are responsible for addressing.

Martinez et al. Respond to "Race, ethnicity and racism in epidemiologic research: Perspectives from Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP).

Martinez et al. Respond to "Race, ethnicity and racism in epidemiologic research: Perspectives from Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCRP).

Perceptions of Black faculty encounters with racism through a collaborative autoethnographical lens: CRT and moral reasoning perspectives

Foreign-born scholars as allies from non-advantaged minoritized groups have historically provided critical insights about the racism that is directed at Black people in a racially driven U.S. society. The current collaborative autoethnography is based on the intersecting paths of three university faculty, a Black female scholar and two international J-1 scholars, who documented through personal narratives the racism that is directed at Black faculty at PWIs, drawing from critical race and moral reasoning interpretative frameworks. Building on previous research, the narratives shed light on how anti-Black racism persists at PWIs in the form of micro-aggressions and race-based hostility and that humanizing reparation efforts are warranted but may not be sufficient to ensure comprehensive change. Future research must explore the potential impact of group action initiatives among BIPOC and other minoritized faculty groups (national, international) to promote faculty protections in general while challenging anti-Black racism specifically.

Structural Racism Conceptualization and Operationalization for Research for the U.S. HIV Epidemic: Findings from a Scoping Review and Implications for Advancing Research for Structural Interventions.

In the U.S., inequities by race/ethnicity in health outcomes, such as in the HIV epidemic, are long standing but have come to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is growing recognition of the role of structural racism in racialized health inequities, yet the conceptualization and operationalization of structural racism in HIV research lags. We conducted a scoping review of existing published literature, between 1999-April 2024, conceptualizing and measuring structural racism's impact among people living with or at risk for HIV in the U.S. Our initial search yielded 236 unique articles, which after title and abstract screening yielded ten articles meeting full text review criteria. We then extracted key parameters, such as conceptualization, method of measurement of structural racism, study aims, design, and findings. Three of the articles were qualitative studies that conceptualized structural racism using (1) the social network model, (2) individual and structural intersectionality and (3) critical race theory. Operationalization of structural racism within the seven quantitative studies fell into three categories: (1) structural level, (2) a scale of experiences of racism, including structural racism, and (3) using explanatory demographic factors as downstream measures of the effects of structural racism. The variance in the conceptualization and operationalization of structural racism highlights the different interpretations of structural racism in its applications to the field of HIV research. Given the vast racial/ethnic inequities in HIV, we propose three overarching suggestions for next steps in improving the conduct of research on structural racism in HIV: (1) we must prioritize measuring racism past the individual and interpersonal levels to consider systemic factors at a societal level that manifest as structural racism to improve HIV outcomes in the U.S., (2) consider intergenerational effects of structural racism through the use of longitudinal data, and (3) broaden the agenda of structural racism to incorporate other systems of oppression. Additionally, broadening the scope of funding and inclusion of more researchers and individuals with lived experiences to support structural racism research to drive the scientific agenda and design of structural-level interventions will not only bolster achieving the U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic goals but will do so by addressing inequities.

The development and current directions of a diversity specialty clinic: Implications for multicultural training in psychology.

Addressing systemic injustices and racism in training and clinical service provision are key next steps in clinical science. While the APA Multicultural Guidelines and accreditation standards have long emphasized this need, most graduate programs offer a single course on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics, which is inadequate to train and sustain culturally humble providers and redress systemic injustices and racism within psychology. Few "real-world" examples exist to guide the development of training models. We provide background on the development and components of a specialty clinic, the University of New Mexico's Cultural Counseling Center, whose mission is providing culturally informed clinical services to diverse clientele, and to infuse multicultural training throughout the graduate program. Informed by the racial-spatial framework for psychology and critical race theory, we describe our approach intended to: 1) offer applications for the operationalization and delivery of multicultural and antiracist training; 2) enhance supervisory models; and 3) increase awareness of structural competence. Our clinic, developed collaboratively among students and faculty, serves as a safe forum for dialogue around structural injustices and seeks to improve treatment for diverse clients and those underserved in mental health care. We discuss issues of student and faculty engagement and offer the perspectives of faculty and students of color, case examples illustrating our services, and current efforts to expand and formalize community collaborations. We offer a model that integrates coursework, informal activities, and multicultural supervision for comprehensive student training and that promotes a departmental culture of dialogue and support around equity, diversity, and justice.

Experiences of Othering in the Modern Mindfulness Movement: A Critical Race Theory Perspective

Experiences of Othering in the Modern Mindfulness Movement: A Critical Race Theory Perspective

Negligence in biomedical research: an anti-racist approach for substance use researchers.

Racism is embedded in the fabric of society at structural, disciplinary, hegemonic, and interpersonal levels, working as a mechanism that drives health disparities. In particular, stigmatized views of substance use get entangled with racialization, serving as a tool to uphold oppressive systems. While national health institutions have made commitments to dismantle these systems in the United States, anti-racism has not been integrated into biomedical research practice. The ways in which substance use researchers use and interpret race data-without engaging in structural racism as a mechanism of health inequity-can only be described as inadequate. Drawing upon concepts from the Public Health Critical Race praxis, QuantCrit, and an anti-racism research framework, we recommend a set of guidelines to help biomedical researchers conceptualize and engage with race more responsibly in substance use research.

“If you do not have Black futures in mind…then what’s guiding the steps”: anti-racist recommendations for traumatic brain injury rehabilitations’ investments in hopeful Black futures

Purpose The need for specialized rehabilitation considerations to address racial health disparities and optimize functional outcomes such as participation in daily life for Black people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been acknowledged. This study uses anti-racism as an entry point for addressing institutional racism by examining what the experiences of Black survivors of TBI, rehabilitation providers, and family caregivers tell us about imagined possibilities for rehabilitation to promote Black futures. Material and methods A constructivist-informed narrative inquiry using critical race theory and in-depth narrative interviewing was applied across ten women and four men. Reflexive thematic analysis within and across groups of participants led to conceptualizing two main themes and five sub-themes. Results Conceptualized themes captured requirements for TBI rehabilitations’ investments in Black futures: (1) the need for critical information and specialized educational supports and particular requirements for supporting participation in meaningful life situations, and (2) responsibilities of delivering rehabilitation care for Black service users. Conclusion TBI rehabilitation must be tailored to the realities of living while being Black, integrate personal values, beliefs, interests, and equitable supports to maximize optimal functioning and participation if the goal of rehabilitation is community integration for all persons living with the impacts of TBI.

Examining a Critical Race Theory-Informed Undergraduate Research Experience: Proposing a Conceptual Model of the Benefits of Anti-Racist Programs on Student Development

Examining a Critical Race Theory-Informed Undergraduate Research Experience: Proposing a Conceptual Model of the Benefits of Anti-Racist Programs on Student Development

The curious case of seemingly incurious children

English-language teachers are increasingly recognizing the pedagogical value of using children’s literature that authentically represents diverse multilingual learners, including children who have sought refuge. This study analyses representations of children who have experienced displacement and sought refuge in picture books. Framed by a critical multicultural perspective of children’s literature, critical refugee studies and critical race theory, the study investigates how children’s emotions and agency are represented in focal stories. Our findings suggest that, contrary to the complex intellectual and emotional ways children and youth process displacement, picture books about seeking refuge tend to represent child protagonists as incurious about why they are forced to flee. Such representations construct legally scripted narratives associated with refugee status that normalize war and violence. These narratives ultimately mask colonialism, imperialism and racism that contribute to refugee flight around the world. We discuss how policies for seeking refuge influence picture books and invite educators to critically evaluate literature for their classrooms, directly engage families to foreground generative perspectives and develop comprehensive multilingual environments that affirm learners’ agency