On the utility of Asian critical (AsianCrit) theory in the field of education

Abstract

Despite the powerful influence of race and racism on the experiences and outcomes of Asian Americans in US education, coherent conceptual frameworks specifically focused on delineating how White supremacy shapes the lives of this population are difficult to find. The AsianCrit framework, grounded in Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the experiences and voices of Asian Americans, can begin filling this gap. In this article, we review an AsianCrit framework and examine Asian American issues in education through seven AsianCrit tenets to demonstrate their utility in the analysis of and advocacy for Asian Americans in U.S. education. We end by discussing implications of how AsianCrit can provide a framework to guide future research, policy and practice, as well as a foundation for discourse around the racialized experiences of Asians Americans and other racially marginalized groups in education.

KEYWORDS:

• AsianCrit
• critical race theory
• Asian Americans
• education
• race

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Jon S. Iftikar is a doctoral candidate in Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on developing new theoretical models and frameworks for analyzing racialized identities, experiences, and inequities in higher education utilizing critical and cultural studies approach.

Samuel D. Museus is Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs and Founding Director of the National Institute for Transformation and Equity (NITE) at Indiana University, Bloomington. His research agenda focuses on diversity and equity, institutional environments, and diverse student outcomes. His current research is focused on the impact of organizational environments on racial and ethnic minority college student access and success.