Critical Race Theory

Critical race theory (CRT) is based on the premise that race is a social construct and that race-based belief systems are visible in all parts of our social life. With regard to children and childhood, although there is work that takes up anti-racist and anti-bias approaches to pedagogy, and children’s play for example, very little attention has been paid to CRT by people working in the area of early childhood; however, CRT has been taken up more widely by education scholars and teachers in the field of K–12 (kindergarten through completion of secondary school) education. This entry examines the history of CRT and outlines some key tenets of CRT with an eye to early childhood. Because this theory began in the United States, much of what is discussed in this entry is U.S. based; however, there are CRT scholars working elsewhere (e.g., in the United Kingdom and Canada).