CAS SO 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Scientific Racism, Physiognomy, Racialization
30 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Race: the power of an illusion: what does it mean when we say race is a social construct, societies define people by social categories. Early 19th century scientific racism: race=social implications, phrenology, physiognomy. Defining blackness : u. s one drop rule: assertion that one drop of black blood makes a person black, codified into law, and incorporated into popular perception, dark-skinned us immigrants may not be considered black in homelands. Karen brodkin sacks how jews became white : example of change in category, 1920s: immigration closed to europe and asia, scientific racism & eugenics belief that real americans are white christians from. Nw europe: early 20thc. demand for immigrant labor (craft & manufacturing, jews entered niches as small businesses educational advancement. Race in contemporary us: scientific racism loses power especially post-wwii but ideas of essential, biological difference still powerful, e. g dna testing for heritage, white =broader category in us with divisions defined as ethnic .
