The Central Roles of Race and Racism in Reframing Family Systems Theory: A Consideration of Choice and Time

Abstract

This article explores the central roles in family research and practice of race and racism in the reframing of family systems theory (FST) when applied to Black and/or African American families. Specifically, we discuss how current concepts of FST allow for an understanding of racial and ethnic socialization in the parent–child familial subsystem. We then theorize the potential reframing of FST to better accommodate race, ethnicity, and racism, and suggest an expansion of the theory by including the components of historical time and choice. We conclude with a brief discussion of the practical implications of our suggested expansion.