Beyond the numbers: a reflexive journey of interrogating racial categorization in QuantCrit

Quantitative methodologies have historically overlooked the complexities of race, yet critical quantitative methods and QuantCrit have emerged to challenge traditional approaches. This paper explores a faculty member’s and a doctoral student’s journeys into QuantCrit, emphasizing the third tenet: “Categories are neither natural nor given.” The authors critique their own work, engage with existing literature, and propose future directions, including artificial intelligence’s role in demographic classification and the potential for intersectional quantitative analyses. By interrogating rigid categorization and advocating for methodological justice, this paper advances the conversation on racial equity in quantitative research. • Critiques racial categorization in quantitative research through QuantCrit. • Focuses on the QuantCrit tenet: categories are neither natural nor given. • Shares reflexive journeys of a faculty member and doctoral student. • Proposes AI and intersectional analyses for methodological justice.