"Contemporary race theory" and the question of class versus race

Another interesting piece from Nonsite.org, where Professor Reed frequently publishes as well.  An excerpt:

Because all of these theories take for granted that racism is not only permanent but also the fundamental contradiction of American life, they all proceed from the assumption that racial groups are coherent and discrete entities with easily definable and shared interests. In other words, they conflate racial categories with racial groups and racial groups with political constituencies. Bonilla-Silva’s “structural interpretation” of racism posits that racial groups are “social collectivities” with shared “life chances” that form the basis for their collective “racial interests” (RR 471). One of the foundational concepts in Critical Race Theory, developed by Derrick Bell, is “interest convergence,” which maintains that “the interest of blacks in achieving racial equality will only be accommodated when it converges with the interest of whites.”6

All of these theories assume that because individuals assigned to certain racial categories are similarly situated (i.e., they either benefit in some ways from anti-Black racism or are the targets of anti-Black racism) that they are, thereby, intrinsically connected (i.e., they share a profound sense of group identity). The connections forged through shared identity lead individuals not only to define their interests in the same way but also to formulate uniform responses. The commitment of contemporary race theorists to the ideal of a “racial community” in the political realm is tied quite closely to how they deploy the concept of “racial interest” in the theoretical realm. Both notions assume levels of homogeneity within groups that elide and ignore the class relationships and conflicts within groups and the dynamics that arise as a result. This conceptual error has political and epistemic/theoretical implications.

The author goes on to contrast Marxist analyses of racist (and anti-racist) movements with "contemporary race theory."

Years ago, the comedian, director and writer Mike Nichols made a telling joke about the Hyde Park neighborhood near the University of Chicago:  "In Hyde Park, black and white are united in hatred of the poor."   "Contemporary race theory" would benefit from taking that joke seriously.