Anthropology 247 - History of Race Science and Scientific Racism

Today there is a consensus in physical anthropology that there is no conclusive biological basis to the groupings commonly referred to as “races.” That is, “racial” categories are constituted socially, and naturalized through different cultural processes. However, anthropology has also been part of a long history of seeking biological bases for racial difference, and of using these supposed biological bases to justify different hierarchies and forms of exploitation. This course surveys some of the key moments of this history, focusing on how different “scientific” theories of race have impacted the lives of marginalized groups. Special emphasis is placed on how traces of these older, debunked theories of race continue to emerge in ways that impact public discourse.