Both “interest convergence” and “material determinism” are used to describe the view in which race relations can be tracked over time in connection to material conditions, rather than changes in personal attitudes alone. 

Advancements towards what appears to be racial equality do not occur because of any moral move away from racism, but because the desires of the ruling class and the desires of the oppressed class happen to overlap (converge) in a particular way that is still ultimately beneficial to the ruling class.  On the other end, increased conflict between groups that appears to be rooted in race is a result of one group choosing to exploit or harm another, and *then* forming collective oppressive attitudes to rationalize that harm in order to protect the material gains of the ruling class. 


Interest Convergence / Material Determinism

The view that racism serves the dominant group asserts that the material and psychological benefits that white people experience through racism means they are disincentivized from challenging racism as a system.


Georgetown University

While not universally supported by every critical race theorist, these are the basic propositions uniting the movement:

- Racism is ordinary
- Racism serves the dominant group
- Race is socially constructed

Basic Tenets of Critical Race Theory

Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2012). Critical Race Theory: An Introduction (2nd ed.). NYU Press.

Critical Race Theory: An Introduction 

The view of racism as something ordinary asserts that racism is something we all interact with in our common, everyday life experiences. While there are glaring examples of racial discrimination that catch our attention, there are many more common examples of racism that go unnoticed every day. 

Racism as something ordinary

Racism as something that serves the dominant group

The social construction of race refers to how the concept and categories of race, as well as the meanings given to them, are not innate, but instead formed by society. While there are real physical traits that humans have, such as skin color, these traits do not exist in the format of clearly defined boxes that the concept “race” is structured as, nor do they correspond to any personal traits or values, a false belief that racism is built upon.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After