African American Criticism

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Double Consciousness

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A term coined by W.E.B. Du Bois referring to the internal conflict experienced by marginalized groups, particularly African Americans, as they navigate their cultural identity in a society that is often oppressive.

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Intersectionality

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A framework for understanding how various aspects of a person's identity (such as race, gender, sexuality) intersect to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege.

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Eurocentrism

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A worldview that places European culture and history at the center of everything, often marginalizing other cultures.

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Critical Race Theory (CRT)

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An intellectual movement and framework of legal analysis that examines the intersection of race and U.S. law, which began in the early 1970s.

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Brown v. Board of Education

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A landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, but is considered by critical race theorists as a misleading step towards progress.

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Code Switching

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The practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation, often used by marginalized groups to navigate different cultural contexts.

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Signifying

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A form of verbal play and indirect communication often used in African American culture, involving the use of irony, metaphor, and double meanings.

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Interest Convergence

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A concept introduced by Derrick Bell, suggesting that racial justice or progress occurs only when it aligns with the interests of white people.

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Cultural Appropriation

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The act of taking or using elements from a culture, often without permission or understanding, typically by members of a dominant culture.

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Postcolonialism

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A critical framework that analyzes the cultural, political, and economic impacts of colonialism and imperialism on societies.