Book Review: Critical Race Theory: An Introduction

A good introduction to the principles of Critical Race Theory.

Stars: 4/5

Critical Race Theory: An Introduction, as the title suggests, is intended to be a primer. Critical Race Theory (CRT), “...considers many of the same issues that conventional civil rights and ethnic studies discourses take up, but places them in a broader perspective that includes economics, history, context, group- and self-interest, and even feelings and the unconscious.” (p.3).

Authors Delgado and Stefancic provide the basic foundation behind the the theory as well as explaining some of the principles such as: interest convergence, structural determinism, and [legal] storytelling, to name a few. Also, in the interest of fair-mindedness, one of the later chapters is dedicated to those with opposing viewpoints and expounds on what that opposition entails.

At the conclusion of each chapter, ‘classroom exercises’ , ‘questions and comments’, and ‘suggested readings’ are provided for further clarity and analysis. I personally thought the exercises and questions were constructive and thought-provoking; a noble attempt to provide practical application of theory via real-world scenarios.

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