Critical race studies in psychology

Salter

Andrea D. Haugen

pp. 123-145

in: Brendan Gough (ed), The Palgrave handbook of critical social psychology, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

Abstract

This chapter outlines Critical Race Psychology (CRP) as a theoretical framework that integrates the main themes articulated in critical race theory and critical social-psychological approaches to understanding race and racism. Critical race studies in psychology dispel the idea that racism is primarily perpetuated by individual bigots and racists and instead looks toward the everyday beliefs, justifications, ideas, and behaviors that are inextricably tied to the broader sociocultural and historical context of globalized systemic inequality. Drawing from several critical approaches in psychology, CRP utilizes identity consciousness as a tool to reveal the sociocultural and psychological resources holding current societal structures in place.