ABSTRACT
This chapter takes a critical theory perspective to address how students and teachers’ social class, race, and gender influence the dynamics of classroom life. Lincoln and Guba (2000) call critical theory a research paradigm, hence the critical orientation is fitting for this alternative paradigms section. Critical theory, historically and currently, has the radical democratic aim of understanding and eliminating the power imbalances that exist between people in various social settings. As critical educational scholar Leistyna (1999) writes:
MAJOR THEMES AND THEORIES IN CRITICAL SCHOLARSHIP
Critical scholars rarely prescribe classroom strategies; however, ideas for schools are implied in the issues they research. Because they focus on problems, critical theorists often are accused of being negative. Yet, their efforts to reduce oppressive hierarchies indicate they are more accurately perceived as “radical humanists,” or optimists, who work to eradicate injustices others see as intractable (Danforth & Taff, 2004, pp. 6, 7). Although much critical scholarship involves unmasking oppression, exposing injustice may not be sufficient to inspire and sustain change. Therefore, some recommend that suggestions for practice and activism must accompany critical research (Brantlinger, 1999). In this chapter, we first review issues critical theorists have raised about schools, then we map out ways classrooms might be organized to achieve an equitable, democratic social life.We first clarify the origin and nature of the critical perspective.
Class Conflict and Hegemony Critical theory originates with Marx’s class analysis (Bottomore, 1956). Identifying capitalists as those in industrialized society who exploit the labors of working classes, Marx illustrates the correspondence between society’s economic base and its superstructure (citizens’ mental life). In other words, Marx states, “[t]he mode of production of material life determines the general character of the social, political, and spiritual processes of life” (Bottomore, 1966, p. 14). Whether or not they recognize their own class politics, dominant classes control societal circumstances and circulate ideologies that convince workers to comply with practices beneficial to higher classes. Expanding on Marx’s ideas of social class domination and mystifying ideologies, Gramsci (1971) credits workers with having the insight and agency to resist capitalist oppression. Hence he views hegemony as a dynamic power relation between subordinate and dominant classes.
