ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief overview of several prominent critical theories. The chapter begins with Critical Race Theory (CRT), which assumes that racism is inherent in society, race is socially constructed, and racial differences are created, maintained, and continually strengthened by society. This chapter covers the basic tenets of CRT, including interest convergence, the critique of liberalism, and the emphasis on counterstories. Next, the chapter explores intersectionality, which highlights how the intersections of identity – including sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation – contribute to oppression. This chapter also examines the tenets and application of feminist theory. Feminist theory examines how gender roles and inequalities are reinforced in society, as well as the role of patriarchy in the oppression of women. Finally, this chapter examines queer theory, a theoretical framework informed by feminist theory, and LGBTQI+ studies. This chapter discusses key concepts of queer theory including heteronormativity and the critique of dualistic categorization. Queer theory provides a frame through which to question traditional binary representations of sex, gender, and sexuality.
