Racial Formation Theory

The construction of race, the definition of race, and the consequences resulting, have been addressed in a number of theories on race and racism. One such theory is racial formation theory proposed by Michael Omi and Howard Winant. In keeping with critical theories on racism, racial formation theory denies race as being of biological construction, but then goes on to refute race as either an ideological construct or an objective condition, and instead looks to a processual construction of racism. Three conditions constitute the foundation for this theory: applicability to contemporary politics, applicability in an increasing global context, and applicability across historical time (Kivisto, 2013).
In elaborating upon the first tenet of contemporary politics Omi and Winant address the appearance of competing racial projects with the intention of institutionalizing racial meanings and identities in specific social structures; namely those of the individual, family, community, and state. Political deployment of the concept of race has increasingly come to indicate qualitatively new forms of political domination, as well as new forms of opposition (Kivisto, 2013).
They define the global context of race as a new type of racial globalization in the context of internationalism, as former neocolonial peoples challenge the
Over the past several centuries, race was viewed as a natural condition. This conviction gradually gave way during the 1900s to a new paradigm of thinking about race. Race was now seen as being subordinate to presumably more durable relationships of culture, economic interest, and nationality. This view has recently been superseded by a more critical perspective that sets aside the illusionary aspect of race (Kivisto,