WOMENST 3BB3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: The Bell Curve, Indian Act, Railways Act 1921
6 Sep 2018
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Document Summary
Constructing normativity: gender, sexuality, ability, race, and the family. Terms norm, normality, normalcy emerged in the mid 1800s. The bell curve creates norms but also margins. Concept of norm implies majority of population should be part of the norm. Divides the population into standard and nonstandard subpopulations. Statisticians were trying to figure out how to make people better - tied up in eugenics. There is good abnormal and bad abnormal. Grouping people based on real or perceived similarities. Attributing meaning to those similarities - often based on word of those in power. Groups often defined in opposition to others. Often based on binary system - separation of normal from those considered not normal . Often used to justify and naturalize the rule of those in power. Categorization of people though statistics, iq testing, phrenology, dsm, studying sexual organs, sex testing, the indian act, blood quantum (american equivalent of indian act), the one drop rule (ex.
