On Feb. 12, Professor Adrien Wing, Director of the University of Iowa Center for Human Rights, explored the role of critical race theory (CRT) in challenging institutionalized oppression at a panel hosted by McGill’s Faculty of Law. Organized to commemorate Black History Month, the panel highlighted the historical patterns of racial exclusion that persist in modern governance and spoke to the need for systemic change.
The panel began with Wing’s presentation on CRT and intersectionality. CRT refers to an academic approach that examines race as a social construct and functions under the assumption that racism is not solely the product of individual bias. It analyzes how racial inequality has been deeply embedded in many parts of Western society, particularly in its legal systems and social institutions.
During the panel, Wing discussed how CRT can shed light on how racism is ingrained in legal and economic systems. She pointed to the GI Bill in the United States—a policy that provided WWII veterans with funds for housing and education while systematically excluding Black veterans.
“We weren’t told the truth,” Wing said. “Black veterans were not given that money. Critical race [theory] helps to deconstruct that, and say the system is racist, has been racist since the beginning, as well as sexist, homophobic and other ‘-isms.’”
After Wing’s presentation, the three panellists, jurist Tamara Thermitus, McGill Faculty of Law Professor Sarah Riley Case, and McGill Adams-Burke Fellow Lena Dzifa Phillips, continued the discussion.
Building on Wing’s examination of systematic racism in legal structures, Phillips turned the conversation to the gap between constitutional ideas and their real-world application, questioning whether legal frameworks designed to promote equality are effectively implemented.
“We know that today constitutional statehood is still elusive,” she said, “But how would you describe the present-day operationalization of the very progressive norms and ideals that are included in those constitutional projects?”
In response, Wing emphasized the fluid nature of legal texts, noting that their meanings change over time and in different geographical contexts.
The discussion continued with a question from Case, in which she referred to the work of Columbia University Professor David Scott. Case highlighted that initiatives such as anti-colonial or civil rights movements have not always led to the expected structural changes. She asked how past efforts toward justice should be reexamined in the present moment.
“David Scott, a Jamaican scholar, Black studies and Caribbean studies, who calls our present moment of post-revolutionary conjuncture in the context of decolonization […] asks, ‘How can we reevaluate now, at this post-revolutionary conjuncture, what’s necessary for transformation?’ So, I wanted to know, what do you think?” Case asked.
Wing responded by rejecting the idea of a “post-revolutionary” time, which implies a successful revolution that resulted in lasting change. She questioned whether there had ever been a shift that effectively addressed structural racism.
Wing also challenged the idea that diversity and inclusion programs are enough to address racial inequality. Although these initiatives may help individuals, she argued that they fail to dismantle the structures that uphold systemic oppression.
“These programs are band-aids on cancer,” Wing said, “They will help a few people, but they will not help deal with great structural injustices. That’s not what they’re about. They weren’t meant to do that.”
Rather than focusing solely on personal change, Wing emphasized the importance of confronting the deeper economic and systematic realities that prevent meaningful change.
Throughout the conversation, Wing and the panellists underscored that addressing systemic oppression requires more than theoretical discussions or surface-level policy changes. They noted that, while legal and institutional frameworks shift over time, the structures that sustain inequality remain, raising questions about the effectiveness of current approaches to transformation.
Wing urged the audience to commit themselves to efforts to oppose these systems of oppression and emphasized the need for sustained engagement in the fight for justice.
“In your lifetime—and the lifetime of my grandchildren—we will not end racism, sexism, homophobia, any other ‘-ism.’ We will not end it,” Wing said. “But each of you will be judged by the quality of your [resistance].”
