21A.100 Prof. howe Race and Anthropology Huge topic-only going to cover a small portion of the discussion T Race has a biological meaning, but not a social meaning *Race has a social meaning but not a biological meaning *The second notion is the one preferred by anthropologists American Anthropological Association has a statement on race that can be found here http://www.aaanet.org/stmts/racepp.htm Their reasoning starts out with a genetic argument o Gradual not abrupt changes o Traits vary independently o Race is essentially subjective It also focuses on the history of race o Race gets it's meaning from slavery and colonialism Humans develop in culture and all humans have the ability to learn all cultural forms Why does anthropology feel so compelled to respond to the notion of race? In part because of where this concept came from Linneaus- Systema Naturae Believed that god created thethe categories of race Categories were fixed and unchanging Blumenbach 1795 Degeneration of Races Organized a racial hierarchy Created the term "Caucasian"because the skull form he found most beautiful ame from Georgia, and thus it must have been most closely related to Adam and American Malay asian Ican Added"Malay to form a tree The races"degrade as they move further from Caucasian Clear example of how cultural and ideological beliefs were injected into science These categories are arbitrary but still present Race still has real social power: Race and american citizenshi21A.100 Prof. Howe Race and Anthropology Huge topic – only going to cover a small portion of the discussion Two notions about race: Race has a biological meaning, but not a social meaning *Race has a social meaning but not a biological meaning. *The second notion is the one preferred by anthropologists. American Anthropological Association has a statement on race that can be found here: http://www.aaanet.org/stmts/racepp.htm • Their reasoning starts out with a genetic argument: o Gradual not abrupt changes o Traits vary independently o Race is essentially subjective • It also focuses on the history of race: o Race gets it’s meaning from slavery and colonialism • Humans develop in culture and all humans have the ability to learn all cultural forms Why does anthropology feel so compelled to respond to the notion of race? In part because of where this concept came from. • Linneaus – Systema Naturae • Believed that god created the the categories of race • Categories were fixed and unchanging • Blumenbach 1795 Degeneration of Races • Organized a racial hierarchy • Created the term “Caucasian” because the skull form he found most beautiful came from Georgia, and thus it must have been most closely related to Adam and Eve. Caucasian American Malay Asian African Added “Malay” to form a tree • The races “degrade” as they move further from Caucasian. • Clear example of how cultural and ideological beliefs were injected into science • These categories are arbitrary but still present Race still has real social power: Race and American citizenship