Rooted in White Identity Politics: Tracing the Genealogy of Critical Race Theory Discourse in Identity-Based Disinformation

Critical Race Theory (CRT) has recently garnered considerable political attention. This study examines how partisan news headlines discussed CRT, specifically analyzing how the incorporated language can resonate with white Americans’ shared imaginaries to reframe CRT. We employ a critical disinformation approach to interpret the computationally analyzed partisan news headlines (N = 7320) from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2022. Right-leaning sources overwhelmingly discussed CRT, including language evocative of white Americans’ racial consciousness and racial resentment. We discuss our findings considering the impact of identity-based disinformation amid increasing opposition to diversity. Discussion reflects upon the need for critical approaches to disinformation research that center historical and sociopolitical contexts.