| This course will be arranged thematically. We will begin by using current understanding of evolutionary biology and phylogenetic classification to trace the broad history of human migrations out of Africa. But this contemporary theory and current genomic data do not settle all questions about race. There is a history of race concepts that is relevant. So we will next turn to how biologists and anthropologists in the 19th century understood race: Are there racial essences? Are races natural kinds? Is there more than one origin of humans? Knowing what motivated these questions and how these questions were answered will give us insight into how law and policy shaped and continues to shape cultural and racial identity for many. This will also allow us to make meaningful comparisons and contrasts between biological conceptions of race versus “folk,” or “ordinary” conceptions of race. We will conclude the course with an examination of the interplay between race, culture, and biology. This course will be pitched to those who have some background in Philosophy. |
