Crisis Consciousness, Utopian Consciousness, and the Struggle for Racial Justice

The question of how to theorize the relationship between consciousness and social transformation racism remains vexed. Most critical theories agree that some form is necessary for life, but disagree about whether this change sufficient. Furthermore, they content at level cognitive beliefs, active ignorance, or ideology. In article, I describe most accounts as relying upon what call awareness consciousness. argue model in theory risks giving too much explanatory power role self-knowledge developing successful transformation. contrast, defend an account emphasizes primacy structures constraining enabling our practices. When can no longer support horizons expectation there possibility development crisis utopian materialist deploy locates experience dysfunctional institutions consequent insight collectively develop functional enable new forms practice.