Counting racism: quantitative methods and the challenges of structural analysis in Germany

This paper explores the challenges and potentials of integrating critical theories of racism with quantitative methods in the German context, where the term “racism” has only recently gained broader acceptance in social and political discourse. The paper examines how recent quantitative studies, including survey-based approaches and field experiments have contributed to understanding racism while highlighting the limitations of focusing on attitudes and overt behaviour. Drawing on critical race theory and materialist perspectives, the paper argues that quantitative methods can align with structural approaches when conceptualised as tools to reveal the relational and institutional dimensions of racism. Examples include the rationality embedded in discriminatory practices or the heuristic use of group identities in decision-making. Ultimately, the paper advocates for a methodological synthesis that leverages the strengths of both critical and empirical traditions. It concludes by proposing a framework for using quantitative research to address the institutional and structural dimensions of racism.