Critical Race Theory and The Legal Construction Of Race

Year 2023, Issue: 2, 229 - 268, 31.07.2023

Fatma Süzgün Şahin

https://doi.org/10.33432/ybuhukuk.1274595

Abstract

The Critical Race Theory, which emerged under the specific historical conditions of the American society and the American legal system, is based on the theses that race is constructed and shaped by the law and that racism is not the exception but the norm in American society and American institutions, including the seemingly neutral judiciary, demonstrating that solutions to the problems of race and racism are in fact not simple. The movement demonstrates that all major breakthroughs towards equality in the United States could only be realized when they were also suitable for the interests of the white elites. The Critical Race Theory criticizes the existing legal system and precedents on the basis that the law is not impartial and aims to draw attention to the role of race in law. In this study, the emergence of Critical Race Theory, the effects of which can only be seen indirectly on Continental European legal thought, its main tenets, the methodological innovations it brings with its counter-storytelling and its relations with other critical approaches will be outlined in general terms, the aspects of the Theory that can influence theoretical and empirical studies will be pointed out, and finally, it will be evaluated whether it is possible to make a meaningful contribution to socio-legal studies outside the United States.

Keywords

Racial Segregation, Interest Convergence, Intersectionality, Counter-Storytelling, Color-Blind Constitutionalism, Internal Colonialism.

Eleştirel Irk Kuramı ve Irkın Hukuk Tarafından Belirlenmesi

Abstract

Amerikan toplumunun ve hukuk sisteminin kendine özgü tarihsel koşulları altında ortaya çıkan Eleştirel Irk Kuramı ırkın hukuk tarafından da inşa edilip şekillendirildiği ve Amerikan toplumunda ve ilk bakışta tarafsız görünen yargı da dahil olmak üzere Amerikan kurumlarında ırkçılığın bir istisna değil aksine toplumun normali olduğu tezlerinden hareketle ırk ve ırkçılık sorunlarının çözümlerinin gerçekte hiç de kolay olmadığını gözler önüne sermektedir. Hareketin tespitine göre Amerika Birleşik Devletleri’nde eşitlik yolundaki tüm önemli atılımlar ancak beyaz elitlerin çıkarları için de uygun oldukları zaman hayata geçirilebilmiştir. Eleştirel Irk Kuramı, mevcut hukuk sistemini ve yargı kararlarını hukukun tarafsız olmadığı tespitinden hareketle eleştirir ve hukukta ırkın oynadığı role dikkat çekmeyi amaçlar. Bu çalışmada Kıta Avrupası hukuk düşüncesinde etkileri ancak dolaylı şekilde görülen Eleştirel Irk Kuramı’nın ortaya çıkışı, temel özellikleri, karşıt öykü anlatıcılığıyla getirdiği metodolojik yenilikler ve başka eleştirel yaklaşımlarla ilişkileri genel hatlarıyla tasvir edilecek, Kuramın teorik ve ampirik çalışmalara etki edebilecek yönlerine dikkat çekilmeye çalışılacak ve nihayet Amerika Birleşik Devletleri dışında da sosyo-hukuki çalışmalara anlamlı bir katkısının mümkün olup olmadığı değerlendirilecektir.

Keywords

Irk Ayrımı, Çıkarların Ortaklaşması, Kesişimsellik, Karşıt Öykü Anlatıcılığı, Renk Körü Anayasacılık, İç Sömürgecilik

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