Critical Race Theory (English: Critical Race Theory, abbreviation CRT) is a critical theory on race and racism. CRT holds that race and racism are the fundamental structural elements of Western societies. Racism allegedly operates everywhere, is permanent, and lies just beneath the surface.72 The entire society is systemically organised against BIPOCs (in favour of people with white skin).
With identity politics, Critical Race Theory seeks even to challenge the foundations of the liberal order, particularly “equality theory, legal reasoning, Enlightenment rationalism, and the neutral principles of constitutional law”.73
CRT activists assume that values, knowledge, and discourses were created by and for white people (see Socialisation). White people allegedly justify their own dominance through, among other things, colour-blindness to racism (see Whiteness).
CRT traces back to theoretical assumptions by law professor Derrick Bell and forms the theoretical basis of woke antiracism. Bell assumed that racism is permanent and will never end. Racism has not diminished; over time, it has merely become harder to detect.74 In this pessimistic view, the question is not “Has racism occurred at all?” but “How has racism manifested (in the respective situation)?”.
CRT experts attempt to expose the hidden effects of structural racism. CRT builds on particular approaches to race: in liberal thinking, the goal is to reduce the societal significance of race so that skin colour ideally has no greater importance than hair colour. The “colour-blind” approach of equal treatment is viewed by woke race theorists as “racism blindness”.75
The following eight assumptions form core elements of Critical Race Theory (CRT):
Interest Convergence: According to woke theory, dominant racial groups never help oppressed groups unless it serves their own interest. Thus, racism does not disappear but merely changes form. This often makes racism harder to recognise and combat. To achieve this nonetheless, one should trust anti-racist experts.76
Wilful Ignorance: Dominant racial groups, according to CRT, automatically benefit from structural racism. They allegedly justify the system consciously or unconsciously and overlook their own privileges. Anyone who refuses to admit their complicity in the racist system and their previous ignorance is regarded as fragile. Wilful ignorance and interest convergence are meant to explain how structural racism persists.77
Structural Determinism: According to woke theory, all biographies are determined by systemic power structures (see Socialisation). Non-white individuals, especially BIPOCs, are systematically oppressed in favour of whites. Success or failure in life is determined not by individual decisions or luck but primarily by oppressive power structures.
[**S**tandpoint](https://wokipedia.info/en/standpoint-theory/) Theory: According to Critical Race Theory, there are authentic experiences for each racial group (depending on privileges). If a person’s experiences align with woke theory, they are accepted as authentic and may not be questioned. Anyone who contradicts suffers allegedly from a form of false consciousness or another character flaw.
Victimhood Culture: The cause is always racism whenever an oppressed person feels racially discriminated against.78 This rewards oversensitivity and identification as a victim (see Safe Spaces).
Collectivist [**C**ulture](https://wokipedia.info/en/culture/): Liberal-individualistic perspectives are regarded as an important part of hegemonic power structures. Meritocratic narratives allegedly lead people to accept existing inequality as justified (see Performance and Equality).79
Decolonial Historical Revisionism: Woke activists want to rewrite history from their perspective. In particular, media, research, and curricula are to be decolonised (see Knowledge and Science), as previous discourses maintain structural oppression.
Intersectional Allyship: All forms of identity-based oppression permeate society as a so-called “matrix of domination”. Allyship is required in the fight against oppression (see Intersectionality).80 Allies should critically engage with their privileges and their whiteness to combat systemic power structures.