The Kinesiology of Race

In this research article, Myosha McAfee presents findings from her grounded theory and microethnographical study of math instruction in a racially and socioeconomically diverse public school. Her analysis puts forth a new theory-the kinesiology of race-which conceptualizes race as a verb rather than a noun. It centrally considers how racial patterns and hierarchies emerge through the accumulation of ordinary, everyday interactions. Rather than focus on the relationship between individuals' beliefs and actions, McAfee identifies three racial kinetics occurring in the classroom-sifting, gridlocking, and advantaging-and maintains that, over time, these processes inform the racial stratification of students' learning experiences and academic outcomes. The kinesiology of race theory differs from pre-existing frameworks of race as a category, identity, or outcome (i.e., racism) and can reframe thinking about how race works.