Alberto Urquidez

Dr. Alberto Urquidez is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy & Religion at James Madison University (JMU), where he has been since 2023. His research focuses on contemporary theories of racism, critical race theory, decolonial philosophy, and social/political philosophy, drawing on Ludwig Wittgenstein's later philosophy of language. He holds a B.A. from UCLA, an M.A. from Claremont Graduate School, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University.

His monograph, (Re-)Defining Racism: A Philosophical Analysis (2020), critiques existing approaches to racism and proposes an oppression-centered framework. Current projects include analyzing racism as systemic oppression and an introductory text on the philosophy of racism. He teaches courses on race, critical thinking, and related topics.

His publications span journals like Ergo, Philosophical Quarterly, and Radical Philosophy Review, addressing themes such as institutional racism, white co-optation of racism terminology, and anti-ethical frameworks in social justice.

Urquidez's work engages interdisciplinary methods, emphasizing the normative dimensions of racism and its intersection with philosophy of language. He advocates for wide definitions of racism to counter individualist frameworks that obscure racial oppression.