Why Critical Race Theory (CRT) is Controversial
The Psychology Behind the Anxiety and Why We Should All Care
Like many theories, CRT is complex and evolving, not only in its tenets but in its practical application. Its complexity and malleability make it easy to exploit its principles and turn it into a media sound bite that incites confusion, fear and division.
As a theory, it’s easy for detractors to reduce its constructs to us vs. them and to argue that it is really about anti-White racism. For the average person, understanding CRT is overwhelming and feels like you need to have degrees in law, history, anthropology, sociology, and political science to enter the conversation.
That would be a mistake to think that way. How this narrative is being shaped and played out have long-lasting implications for the quality of all of our lives. We need to move CRT beyond the walls of academia to kitchen-table conversations.
Here’s a few of its key tenets, a brief background on the controversy, the psychology behind why it makes many Whites anxious, and the rationale for continued CRT exploration and learning.
Basic Principles of CRT
CRT is a decades-old theory designed to be a lens for understanding how to think about race as it is…
