Critical Theory of Mathematics

The application of Critical Theory to mathematics—examining how mathematical knowledge is constructed, how it's used, and how it reflects and reinforces power. Critical Theory of Mathematics asks: Is mathematics universal, or is it culturally specific? How has mathematics been used to justify racism (intelligence testing), colonialism (surveying), and exploitation (algorithmic oppression)? Who gets to be a mathematician, and who's excluded? Drawing on ethnomathematics, critical math education, and postcolonial theory, it insists that mathematics is never just numbers—it's a human activity, shaped by history, culture, and power.

"Math is universal, they say. Critical Theory of Mathematics asks: universal for whom? Developed where? The math taught in schools is one tradition among many—and it's been used to measure skulls, justify eugenics, design weapons. Math isn't neutral; it's a tool. Critical theory insists on asking: who uses this tool, and for what?"

Critical Theory of Mathematics by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal March 4, 2026