Race

[dirtinmynails]

I was wondering if you guys could recommend books or authors on race or race theory. I have already read some Fanon and DuBois but I would like to explore other authors and ideas.

Thanks for your recommendations!

Comments

[maiabee8]

I really like bell hooks, not specific to race theory, but very interesting.

My take on bell hooks

[ragnarok20]

She's kind of an idiot. I mean, how do you not understand why some people might not take the, "white supremacist capitalist patriarchy," (or whatever) seriously. It sounds like a fucking conspiracy, like the Prison/Military Industrial Complex (which is, in reality, just a symptom of Keynesian economics, so it's really ridiculous to separate them as two theories). If you are going to understand why those theories are valid you need to understand the economic basis behind them (i.e. Keynes' work in the 1920's and 1930's after observing the effects of WWI when the men went off to war and the women went to work in the factories, essentially doubling the work force). In any case, yes, the 'white supremacist capitalist patriarchy' is trying to accurately describe the cross sections of race/economics/gender, but what gets people off on it is probably the 'supremacist' part of it, because it makes it sound as if all whites/males or believers in capitalism are somehow inherently evil or trying to keep down the black/wymynz/what-have-you.

Re: My take on bell hooks

[maiabee8]

Have you ever actually read anything the woman's written? From your post it doesn't seem as if you know what you are talking about.

Re: My take on bell hooks

[ragnarok20]

I have. And the woman is boring.

I'd rather curl up with some Nietzsche or Locke, thank you very much.

[geowench]

Race is a 4 Letter Word by C. Loring Brace

Race and Human Evolution by Wolpoff and Caspari

The Mismeasure of Man by Gould

The Bell Curve by people whose names I've purposefully forgotten

[landmage]

I was about to suggest that Gould book.

[maiabee8]

Is the Bell Curve worth reading? I've never read it, purposefully, and would be interested to know if it is a good text.

[geowench]

I've never read it either, actually (I know, bad me to formulate opinion on hearsay). I'd recommend the first book because it gives the history of the concept of race from a specifically anthro POV.
Look what I just found in my Favorites list
http://www.racesci.org/

[ragnarok20]

Also: a clarification on the topic would be better. Are you talking about sociological structures concerning race in the past (if so, the first known racial classifications come from an ancient Egyptian text though the name escapes me), or are you talking about biological anthropology and the biological basis for race

folly....hmmmm

[metahara]

re: "or making the "we can find no one gene that defines race" claim..."

do you have a different claim that is more than your opinion or hypothesis?

re:"Race is often misunderstood, but what it means is, "breed, lineage, or blood-line."
please do tell, what is race by your definition?
How many are there? How do you determine ones race in your opinion?

Re: folly....hmmmm

[ragnarok20]

do you have a different claim that is more than your opinion or hypothesis?

Wait, why does it have to be more than my opinion or hypothesis? Just because the AAA has released a statement doesn't mean it's set in stone.

My claim is that it probably does take more than 'just one gene' as it is a collection of genes and genetic markers. Think about it this way: Is there any one gene that defines the difference between Great Danes and Golden Retrievers?

please do tell, what is race by your definition?

I gave you my definition of race. "Breed, lineage, or blood-line," is the best I've come across.

How many are there?

Based on the evidence that I've seen, I would say three (not including the groups of individuals that are a mix which have become more predominant in recent years), if they exist. At least point to claim that they don't exist, or that it's a complete social construction, is a claim which is subject, to say the least of it.

How do you determine ones race in your opinion?The human genome is still very much a mystery

Re: folly....hmmmm

[ragnarok20]

Grrr, one of my italics tags didn't close. Oh well.

Some stuff I forgot

[ragnarok20]

It also seems pretty odd that many of the race skeptics seem to think that H. sapiens are this magical species which are completely immune to taxonomic classification. Entire species have been defined on geographic location alone, so it doesn't seem inconceivable that groups of humans could be categorized at least into groupings of race. For instance: Tigers in Africa and China are technically capable of producing viable off-spring (the opus test for 'species' distinction), however because of their geographic isolation, they would not mate under normal circumstances and so are considered different species. Similarly with two species of (black?) birds that exist on two separate sides of a mountain range. Though there is little variation, and they technically could procreate and produce viable offspring capable of reproducing themselves, they would not do so under normal circumstances.

the ANTH community

[metahara]

American Anthropological Association Statement on "Race"
here:
http://www.learner.org/channel/workshops/primarysources/census/docs/aaas.html
and
AAPA Statement on Biological Aspects of Race
here:
http://www.physanth.org/positions/race.html

Regarding the 'points' on the second link

[ragnarok20]

1) Makes a common mistake of conflating race, ethnicity, and species. Fortunately these are, at least, somewhat intelligent people and have avoided saying so outright. Breeds (remember here, race means breed, lineage, or bloodline) of dog are still of the same species as they all can, and will, mate and produce viable offspring. We don't go off on the 'social construction' of breed, as when it comes to dog we don't conflate the issue of breed and species when it comes to dogs

Re: Regarding the 'points' on the second link

[metahara]

so for the most part, you do not agree with the AAA or the AAPA?

Boasians

[etiger4]

There's so much out there. I would start with Malcolm X and other classic reads by black authors.

You might also check out some early Boasians on race and anthropology:

Ruth Benedict's

Patterns of Culture

The Races of Mankind is interesting
also
Herskovitz (Myth of the Negro Past, Benedict and Young critique his book on African-American influence)

Some interesting books on how race issues get churned up, used, manipulated, in various nationalisms. You might also look at:

Benedict Anderson's Imagined Communities