The deep-rooted racism of science

[Jalapeñomel]

"Contrary to the then-common belief that the climate in which a person lived determined her skin color, Boyle saw skin color as an inherited characteristic, somewhat similar to how we see it today. But his research is a disturbing reminder that science is as capable of rationalizing corrupt forms of power as it is of guiding the way toward a more enlightened future."

qz.com/637284/the-deep-rooted-racism-of-science/?fbclid=IwAR2n5Apo6OU5POseJLIpNxiyHeEEQsx_TR0gWQAl6xxvFo1yID7L4lZLc9A

Some @@@ discussion in the article. 

[erbear]

There is an eye opening Ted talk about this topic - how much race plays into the poor health care that many BIPOC receive. I’ll see if I can find it.

[smock]

Thanks for sharing--around the same time as Boyle, English colonists in North America speculated that Native Americans dipped babies in walnuts to dye their skin, based on a mistaken assumption that they were "born white."

Scientific racism is such a huge problem, and no surprise, Americans have been super good at promoting it. Thomas Jefferson attacked the environmental theory of race, that location changed people's skin color and other characteristics, because Europeans were teasing the white colonists that they'd "turn wild" in North America. Conveniently, it also gave Jefferson an excuse to enslave Black people and claim they were fundamentally different from white people.

Claiming that things like race are "natural" and "scientific" is so damaging. It strips people of their humanity with the veneer of "clinical" and "objective" language. And that was exactly the goal of men like Jefferson and Boyle, who seized the position of all-powerful observer and maker of knowledge while turning Black people into objects for study.

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 2, 2020 10:42:01 GMT -5 smock said:

Thanks for sharing--around the same time as Boyle, English colonists in North America speculated that Native Americans dipped babies in walnuts to dye their skin, based on a mistaken assumption that they were "born white."

Scientific racism is such a huge problem, and no surprise, Americans have been super good at promoting it. Thomas Jefferson attacked the environmental theory of race, that location changed people's skin color and other characteristics, because Europeans were teasing the white colonists that they'd "turn wild" in North America. Conveniently, it also gave Jefferson an excuse to enslave Black people and claim they were fundamentally different from white people.

Claiming that things like race are "natural" and "scientific" is so damaging. It strips people of their humanity with the veneer of "clinical" and "objective" language. And that was exactly the goal of men like Jefferson and Boyle, who seized the position of all-powerful observer and maker of knowledge while turning Black people into objects for study.

Any suggestions on where I can read more?

[bugandbibs]

As a child growing up in the 80’s skin color was a complicated thing for me. My white friends envied the way my skin tanned and darkened from the result hours in the sun (even though we were serious about sunscreen). My Asian family and friends thought it made me look lower class and “teased” me for it. I was just a kid who wanted to play and swim. I was still me, but everyone thought they could/should comment on it. My tan lines became a show.

Science starts with a hypothesis. It is often racist and the scientist has a vested interest in proving themselves right. No one wants to be wrong. It’s still continues today in the medical community. Systemic racism effects the care and services that minorities get. How much of our “genetic” risk factors are really because of race and not because of disproportionate care and access for generations? If we start with a flawed premise, how can we effect change?

[smock]

Jalapeñomel, Ibram Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning has a ton on race in colonial America and Thomas Jefferson, plus a whole lot more.

I'm also a fan of Stephen Jay Gould's The Mismeasure of Man, though it's definitely dated.

And here's a good WaPo piece from last year: www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-brief-history-of-the-enduring-phony-science-that-perpetuates-white-supremacy/2019/04/29/20e6aef0-5aeb-11e9-a00e-050dc7b82693_story.html

[glw]

Jalapeñomel, Breathing Race Into the Machine by Lundy Braun and Medical Apartheid by Harriet Washington are two other good books on this topic.

[bohemianmango]

Udodiri R. Okwandu is presenting on this issue tonight for the Exploratorium.

www.exploratorium.edu/visit/calendar/after-dark-july-2-2020?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=FY21AfterDark

Here’s a recording of her talk, “A Study in Medical and Scientific Racism in America“ at CafeSci Boston.

youtu.be/WTniVzGBj5w

[Jalapeñomel]

Thanks for the recs! Checking out the speaking engagement too!

[DesertMoon]

My dad is Iraqi-Assyrian and my mom is Euroasian, my brother and sister are pretty lily white and I am clearly dark Mediterranean and I remember being young and my aunts would say in such sad regretful voices how its unfortunate I got my great grandmothers skintone and curly hair they would even call me her name (in a mean way) when I wore a top that made my skin look darker. I'm pretty proud of my skin whenever people see my family together and they mention how I dont necessarily fit in, I think of my great grandma and what a bad bitch she was. She climbed a mountain to beat her husband with a tree trunk for stealing all her hidden money to gamble with it. She also managed to avoid getting killed when the ottoman empire invaded her village looking for Armenians and Assyrians.

I'll admit I did tell my son people had different colors based on the region their ancestors came from but I'll have to read this.

[seeyalater52]

Jul 2, 2020 13:21:50 GMT -5 smock said:

Jalapeñomel, Ibram Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning has a ton on race in colonial America and Thomas Jefferson, plus a whole lot more.

I'm also a fan of Stephen Jay Gould's The Mismeasure of Man, though it's definitely dated.

And here's a good WaPo piece from last year: www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-brief-history-of-the-enduring-phony-science-that-perpetuates-white-supremacy/2019/04/29/20e6aef0-5aeb-11e9-a00e-050dc7b82693_story.html

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's book "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" is now available for free on Spotify. ow.ly/7xWL50AmSoA

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 2, 2020 21:02:36 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Jul 2, 2020 13:21:50 GMT -5 smock said:

Jalapeñomel, Ibram Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning has a ton on race in colonial America and Thomas Jefferson, plus a whole lot more.

I'm also a fan of Stephen Jay Gould's The Mismeasure of Man, though it's definitely dated.

And here's a good WaPo piece from last year: www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-brief-history-of-the-enduring-phony-science-that-perpetuates-white-supremacy/2019/04/29/20e6aef0-5aeb-11e9-a00e-050dc7b82693_story.html

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's book "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America" is now available for free on Spotify. ow.ly/7xWL50AmSoA

Great! I’m starting it this weekend

[rubytue]

Profs and Pints has an upcoming talk on science and racism
www.crowdcast.io/e/racistscience/register

Also, Cambridge University Press is offering some free books on race (now, if I can just figure out how to get them)
www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/journals/protests-policing-and-race

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 5, 2020 18:55:38 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Profs and Pints has an upcoming talk on science and racism
www.crowdcast.io/e/racistscience/register

Also, Cambridge University Press is offering some free books on race (now, if I can just figure out how to get them)
www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/journals/protests-policing-and-race

I feel like my spouse should be involved in something called “Profs and Pints”...

I’ll check this out thanks!

[rubytue]

Jul 6, 2020 6:54:10 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Jul 5, 2020 18:55:38 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Profs and Pints has an upcoming talk on science and racism
www.crowdcast.io/e/racistscience/register

Also, Cambridge University Press is offering some free books on race (now, if I can just figure out how to get them)
www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/journals/protests-policing-and-race

I feel like my spouse should be involved in something called “Profs and Pints”...

I’ll check this out thanks!

They typically are hosted in local bars, but like everything else, it’s moved online. Which I like, because I’ve wanted to go to a few, but heading into DC after work makes for a looooooong day.

[AAM2012]

Jul 5, 2020 18:55:38 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Profs and Pints has an upcoming talk on science and racism
www.crowdcast.io/e/racistscience/register

Also, Cambridge University Press is offering some free books on race (now, if I can just figure out how to get them)
www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/journals/protests-policing-and-race

Did you ever figure out how to download the entire book at once? I can only seem to get the PDF per chapter.

[rubytue]

Jul 6, 2020 9:41:05 GMT -5 AAM2012 said:

Jul 5, 2020 18:55:38 GMT -5 rubytue said:

Profs and Pints has an upcoming talk on science and racism
www.crowdcast.io/e/racistscience/register

Also, Cambridge University Press is offering some free books on race (now, if I can just figure out how to get them)
www.cambridge.org/core/what-we-publish/journals/protests-policing-and-race

Did you ever figure out how to download the entire book at once? I can only seem to get the PDF per chapter.

No 🥴

[sometimesrunner]

Jul 2, 2020 18:23:12 GMT -5 DesertMoon said:

My dad is Iraqi-Assyrian and my mom is Euroasian, my brother and sister are pretty lily white and I am clearly dark Mediterranean and I remember being young and my aunts would say in such sad regretful voices how its unfortunate I got my great grandmothers skintone and curly hair they would even call me her name (in a mean way) when I wore a top that made my skin look darker. I'm pretty proud of my skin whenever people see my family together and they mention how I dont necessarily fit in, I think of my great grandma and what a bad bitch she was. She climbed a mountain to beat her husband with a tree trunk for stealing all her hidden money to gamble with it. She also managed to avoid getting killed when the ottoman empire invaded her village looking for Armenians and Assyrians.

I'll admit I did tell my son people had different colors based on the region their ancestors came from but I'll have to read this.

I *think* the article was saying that while they believed skin color came from the sun, it was believed that everyone was born white and over their lifetime turned dark because of how much they're in the sun. I still think the explanation that our skin color is determined by where our ancestors lived is valid. Can anyone with more knowledge on this weigh in?