ANTHR-130 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Ascribed Status, Light Skin, Social Philosophy
12 Oct 2020
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Class notes: race- a social grouping that allegedly shares a set of biological characteristics. Humans can be divided into neat/discrete categories according to external forms. Groups that seem to be bounded with no overlap. Race is connected to the survival of the fittest = race is hierarchal (some are superior and some are inferior). The white man"s burden- the environment dictated that the white man must civilize everyone else: geography textbook (1864)- white in the middle, mongolian, american, eastern indian, negro on the side. Suggesting that the white race (european) was most superior: many people accepted biological determinism that white had better genes for intellect, civilization, superiority. Since this was science it was easily accepted: slavery- thought that africans and natives were by nature un disciplined and they were like animals whose energy can be harvested. They had sexual, criminal urges that had to be punished: ascribed status- status in which one is born.
