Far from its origins in US legal studies in the 1980s, critical race theory has grown to become a leading approach to the analysis of racial inequality around the world. It has courted much controversy along the way, often misunderstood and poorly defined. So what precisely is critical race theory and what makes it different from other theories of race, racialization and racism?

In this incisive book, Ali Meghji defines the contours of critical race theory through the notion of the 'racialized social system'. He thereby excavates a solid social theory that clears up many empirical and conceptual questions that continue to surface, offering a flexible, practical model for studying structural racism. In making his case, Meghji pays attention to the multiple dimensions of the racialized social system, focusing on core phenomena such as interaction orders, material interests, ideologies, emotions, and organizations.

In a context where any work mentioning 'race' gets defined as critical race theory, this book expounds an approach that promises to be more generative for the social scientific study of race.

About the Author
Ali Meghji is Assistant Professor of Social Inequalities at the University of Cambridge.

Reviews

"Meghji provides an accessible overview showing critical race theory's explanatory power across the social sciences. The writing is clear and accessible, making the book a great addition to syllabi for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. [...] Meghji has done us a service by breaking through the disciplinary silos, showing the pervasiveness of structural racism, and creating a synthesis that future researchers will adopt."
Victor Ray, Social Forces

"As debates over teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) spread through the US, England, and Australia, Ali Meghji's comprehensive and accessible book offers much needed clarification of the definition of CRT and its emergence. [...] Beyond clarifying misconceptions, Meghji engages the internal debates concerning the strengths and limitations of CRT. Most importantly, this book links the overall discussion to the earlier roots of critical race perspectives in the social sciences and relates CRT to earlier conceptual frameworks dating back almost a century."
Mary Romero, Acta Sociologica

"Meghji's book enables readers [...] to absorb and contend with the theoretical implications of CRT as a valid theory and the subsequent implications for broader theories of race and racism. [... Cuts] through the noise and present[s] responsible, informative, and inviting discussions around CRT that will resonate with many and result in more rational conversations about the topic."
Katya Salmi, Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

"This is such an important and timely book. Beautifully written, it lays out the intellectual arc of critical race studies in sociology and maps the links with Critical Race Theory. It makes clear that sociology has a robust theory of racial dynamics and racism that both precedes and connects to these other important intellectual traditions. It is a book I wish I had had many times over the last few years but is especially needed in the current moment when everyone is talking about Critical Race Theory, but few know what it is. This is a book for intellectual friends and critics, newcomers and senior scholars alike, both incredibly useful and eminently accessible."
Amanda Lewis, University of Illinois at Chicago

"Ali Meghji's The Racialized Social System is an erudite yet accessible response to the question: why do we need critical race theory? Meghji shows rather than merely tells us how racism is systemic. His meticulously researched book will be a vital reference for years to come."
Alana Lentin, Western Sydney University

"A very innovative theoretical work on structural racism. Unlike others, who just repeat what others have done and said, Meghji has taken the threads of a theory and woven them into a more complete garment that synthesizes how the macro, meso and micro levels of racial action work as one. I, for one, am very impressed with this book and look forward to assigning it in my own classes."
Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, Duke University

Book Information
ISBN 9781509539956
Author Ali Meghji
Format Paperback
Page Count 182
Imprint Polity Press
Publisher John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Weight(grams) 249g
Dimensions(mm) 213mm * 137mm * 18mm