(Re)building Our Understanding of Race Measures in Education

Abstract

Race categories were historically created as a tool for oppression, but in more recent decades, researchers have continued the tradition of using these categories as a tool of justice. However, research has shown that scholars consistently take for granted the meaning of the race categories that are so often used in research, going so far as to separate racism from race. This chapter explores the sordid creation of race categories, their evolving use over time, and the more modern conceptions of race group membership. The ways that QuantCrit and validity measures can help us better understand the race categories are also explored. Finally, the chapter concludes with recommendations for measures that might be used in addition to the race categories for researchers aiming to examine quantitative data split by race.