Critical race theory, interculturality and power imbalances: Intersectionality in English language education

TESOL scholars have made use of the epistemological affordances of critical race theory (CRT) to destabilize the reproduction of Whiteness as a norm associated with native English speakers. Yet, racial hegemony in English is not all that matters in the education of secondary multilingual learners and their teachers as complexities of language-speaking status and language ownership pertain to the critical discussion on race, interculturality and power imbalances. This chapter argues that EFL and ESL classes are intercultural and racialized spaces; that is why concerns about race(ing) have to be thought through its intersection with interculturality as the experiences of the dominant are often centered. Examining how racialized identities are created in English as a foreign/second language through the intersection of CRT, interculturality and power imbalances would further illustrate the social and political dimensions of English language education in perpetuating racial inequalities. This chapter speaks of the power relations and intercultural relations within EFL and TESOL classes. It focuses on university and high school classes considering how the critical engagement with issues of race, interculturality and power imbalances is a complex process that necessitates a certain level of cognitive development on the part of both teachers and students. Copyright © 2024 Taylor & Francis.