7/25/2019 Through The Prism of Critical Race and Conflict Theory

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Conflict and Critical Race Theory Essay

University of Southern California

School of Social Work

SOWK 505

Assignment #1a: Short Essay Paper

Conflict and Critical Race Theory

By:

aniel R! "aita# $%

&anuary ''# '0()

*rofessor %nne Blair# $SW# +CSW

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7/25/2019 Through The Prism of Critical Race and Conflict Theory

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Conflict and Critical Race Theory Essay

Conflict and Critical Race Theory Essay

,We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it

must be demanded by the oppressed. r! $artin +uther Kin-# &r!.s (/) +etter fro1

Bir1in-ha1 2ail

I. Introduction

Ten years 3rior to 1y 4irth a -reat 1an shook the foundations of the %1erican racial

3aradi-1 and lifted the %1erican 3syche in such a ay that his ords 4rou-ht forth a

1o1entu1 of chan-e that is still echoed today throu-hout the 1any 1onu1ents and inscri3tions

hich 4are his na1e# r! $artin +uther Kin-# &r! 6or the 3ur3oses of this ork e ill evaluate

his ords as 7uoted a4ove throu-h the 3ris1 of 4oth# Critical Race Theory and Conflict Theory!

II. Critical Race Theory Conflict Theory

Today hen e think of Critical Race Theory 8CRT9 and Conflict Theory e are

usherin- in 3ers3ectives of ho syste1atic o33ression leads to the continuation of 3olicies#

hich throu-h a3athy ena4le 1ar-inaliation# ine7uity# and racis1 to 3er1eate the lives of 4lack

%1erica 8$ilner# '0(9! While an idealist1ay conce3tualie racis1 as a social construction and

a 1atter of thinkin- that can 4e turned on or off like a sitch# it is the realistthat co13rehends

ho racis1 is 1uch 1ore than a collection of unfavora4le i13ressions of other -rou3s# 4ut

rather a 1eans 4y hich society allocates 3rivile-e 8el-ado Et al!# '0('9 and does so throu-h

the un2ust do1ination 4y one racial or cultural -rou3 over another 8Bartos# '00'9! 6or e;a13le#

hen a -overnor is called out u3on the ste3s of the +incoln $e1orial in front of a 7uarter of a

1illion 3eo3le for havin- his ,li3s dri33in- ith the ords of inter3osition and nullificationt is herein here conflict and critical race theory

conver-e!

When r! Kin- states that ,it< 1ust 4e de1anded 4y the o33ressed# he is utiliin- the

conce3t of ,freedo1< as a 3oerful tool to inculcate a cross=cultural syste1atic conflict hich

4rin-s forth the realiation of the need for all of us# to rise u3 re-ardless of color# alon- ith the

i13etus to address the in2ustices that ha13er our true hu1an 3otential! Thus# ,Interest

convergence

is ar-ua4ly one of the 1ost effective 1ethods used to 3ro1ote racial advances 4y

si1ultaneously i13actin- hite and or 3oer=elite self=interest 8Crichlo# '0(59! r! Kin-

understood that 4lacks 1archin- alone ith other 4lacks ould not result in the ty3e of outcry

for e7uality that he and so 1any others ascri4ed to attain! ?e understood that it ould take an

eclectic outcry fro1 4rothers and sisters of all %1erica to unite# 3eacefully# and ith res3ect of

the las in order to effectuate the ty3e of chan-e8s9 that ould 4e re7uired to shift the 3aradi-1

of our national conversation! >f chan-e as -oin- to ha33en# r! Kin- fully realied that the

hite=elite ould first have to 4e convinced that it as in their 4est interest to 4rin- forth

i13rove1ents in e7uality for everyone!

To do so he needed to 7uantify ho the 3oer=elites. a4ro-ation of Constitutional la

ould result in their on 3ersonal econo1ies sufferin- due to the 3u4lic outcry that had 4e-un to

3ro3a-ate throu-h the nation folloin- the T@ 4roadcastin-s of innocent 4lacks and their hite

su33orters 4ein- attacked 4y do-s# lynched# 4eaten unconscious and s3rayed ith fire hoses!

Resultantly# the true story of 4lack stru--le as 4ein- told to %1erica ith e;traordinary

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7/25/2019 Through The Prism of Critical Race and Conflict Theory

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7/25/2019 Through The Prism of Critical Race and Conflict Theory

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Conflict and Critical Race Theory Essay

References:

Bartos# O!# Wehr# *! 8'00'9! Usin- Conflict Theory! *ort Chester# A# US%:

Ca14rid-e University *ress! Retrieved fro1 htt3:DD!e4rary!co1

Crichlo# W! 8'0(59! Critical Race Theory: a Strate-y for 6ra1in- iscussions %round

Social &ustice and e1ocratic Education! ?i-her Education in Transfor1ation

Conference# u4lin# >reland# 33!(F='0(! Retrieved fro1

htt3:DDarro!dit!ieDc-iDviecontent!c-iGarticleH(00Iconte;tHst'

el-ado# R!# Stefancic# &!# +iendo# E! 8'0('9! Critical Race Theory : %n >ntroduction

8'nd Edition9! Ae ork# A# US%: Ae ork University *ress 8AU *ress9!

Retrieved fro1 htt3:DD!e4rary!co1

Kin-# $!+!# 8(/)9 > have a rea1 S3eech! U.S. National Archives Retrieved and

Records Administration! Retrieved fro1

htt3:DD!s3rin-fieldnessun!co1Ddocu1entsD'0(Dau-D05Di=have=drea1=

s3eech=te;tD

$ilner# R!?! 8'0(9! %nalyin- *overty# +earnin-# and Teachin- Throu-h a Critical Race

Theory +ens! Revie of Research in Education! @ol! F# Ao! (# (=5!

Stefancic# &!# el-ado# R! 8'0(9! Critical Race Theory : The Cuttin- Ed-e! Te13le

University *ress!