In an effort to dispel misinformation, Professor Timothy Messer-Kruse, Ph.D. is teaching a new course, with an accompanying podcast, on Critical Race Theory at Bowling Green State University.

Messer-Kruse said he decided to teach the course because legislatures around the country are passing legislation that would restrict state colleges and universities from teaching Critical Race Theory.

“The term (Critical Race Theory) is a misnomer, because it is singular and seems to indicate that it is one thing. I think it is many ways a methodological approach, instead of a single theory. I think it is one of the problems with the way our public discussion of this is on-going. I think it’s collapsed into a methodology,” Messer-Kruse said.

The course is simply titled Critical Race Theory. The class is fully enrolled and each week will feature a prominent guest scholar in the field of CRT who will conduct and answer sessions with the class.

The class is being taught only at the graduate level, through the School of Cultural and Critical Studies, in a seminar style format. The first class was earlier this month, and featured professor David Stovall, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“Additionally, in order to dispel much of the misinformation about what CRT is and how it is taught, our discussions with our guest scholars will be made freely available by podcast,” Messer-Kruse said.

The guest speakers will be meeting with the class virtually, but will also be recorded for the podcast.

“Our visiting scholars include some of the pioneers of the field, some of the most respected critics of CRT, and some of the most innovative young scholars in the field,” Messer-Kruse said. “Our discussions with these scholars will be featured on the podcast along with weekly updates and discussions on racism and anti-CRT legislation in the news.”

The podcast is called Real CRT. Messer-Kruse said it will condense the ETHN 6800 Critical Race Theory course discussions, speaker presentations and course readings.

Messer-Kruse has never previously taught a course on CRT, but said that the topic comes up in most of the graduate level history courses he teaches.

“Pretty much at all levels, when you are teaching the history of race and racism in America, it’s very hard to do justice to that subject without introducing some of the theories of critical race theorists. They are very central to understanding what is commonly referred to as Structural Racism in America, both in the past and the present,” Messer-Kruse said.

The mission of the podcast is to dispel much of the mystery and misinformation about what Critical Race Theory actually is by letting anyone listen to some of the founders, scholars and critics of CRT.

The companion podcast to the Critical Race Theory class, Real CRT, can accessed at: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FjkpzDZu6bHZIbxfBSLAI