History of Philosophy: India, Africana, China

HAP 138 - Taking it Out of Neutral - Critical Race Theory

Dec 31, 2023

The podcast dives deep into critical race theory, unpacking its historical significance and contemporary debates surrounding it. It critiques the limitations of civil rights laws in tackling socioeconomic disparities and examines how biases in legal systems can perpetuate inequality. The discussion highlights the concept of 'whiteness' as a property and the complexities of achieving true electoral fairness amid demographic disparities. Intersectionality is also explored, emphasizing the need for anti-discrimination laws to reflect diverse social needs.

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INSIGHT

CRT's Legal Realism Roots

Critical Race Theory (CRT) challenges formal legal equality by analyzing the real-world effects of laws.
CRT originated from critical legal studies and legal realism, questioning law's claimed neutrality and objectivity.

INSIGHT

Systemic Racism Over Individual Bias

CRT emphasizes racism as a systemic feature, not just individual bias.
This implies laws, even if impartial on paper, often fail to ensure actual equality.

ANECDOTE

Whiteness as Property Anecdote

Cheryl Harris illustrated whiteness as property via her grandmother passing as white for a better job.
Whiteness grants privileges akin to owning valuable property, with rights to exclude others.

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Groups Representation and Race-Conscious Districting, A Case of the Emperor's Close

Lani Gunier

Serving to Masters, Integration Ideals and Client Interests in School Desegregation Litigation

Derek Bell

Brown v. Board of Education and the Interest Convergence Dilemma

Derek Bell

Race, Reform, and Retrenchment, Transformation and Legitimation in Anti-Discrimination Law

Kimberle Crenshaw

Faces at the Bottom of the Well

The Permanence of Racism

Derrick Bell

In this book, Derrick Bell uses allegories and historical examples, including the story 'The Space Traders,' to argue that racism is an integral and permanent part of American society. Bell contends that African American struggles for equality are doomed to fail unless the majority of whites see their own well-being threatened by the status quo. He calls on African Americans to abandon a misplaced faith in inevitable progress and instead create viable strategies to alleviate the burdens of racism. The book is a pioneering contribution to critical race theory and remains essential reading on the problem of racism in America.

All the Women Are White, All the Blacks Are Men, But Some of Us Are Brave

Black Women's Studies

Akasha Gloria Hull

Patricia Bell Scott

Barbara Smith

This groundbreaking collection, first published in 1982, is a foundational work in Black Women's Studies. It features essays by prominent figures like Alice Walker and the Combahee River Collective, addressing the invisibility of Black women in both feminist and Black studies. The anthology emphasizes intersectionality and challenges the dominant narratives in both fields.

Whiteness as Property

Cheryl Harris