Racialism Racialism White City, Saskatchewan Category="Core issues in ethics"Category="Eugenics"Category="Race"Racialism is the controversial belief in the existence and significance of racial categories, the existence of which are themselves often disputed. Although the term is sometimes used in contrast to Racism, especially in Academia, it is generally used Synonymously with racism.

In separatist Identity politics, the term may be used to emphasise perceived Social and cultural differences between races. Separatists may say that although they do not see themselves as Superior to - or feel hatred towards - other races, they nevertheless believe that the races should not live together (see white separatism and Black separatism). In this context the Rastafari and other organisations for Black nationalism advocate that racialism facilitates "racial pride" and cultural rebirth.

Racialists often cite purportedly scientific works such as Race, Evolution and Behavior by J. Philippe Rushton, IQ and the Wealth of Nations by Richard Lynn, and The Bell Curve by R.J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray. Rushton's work in particular is sometimes described as Scientific racism by critics, and is regarded by David Suzuki and others as Pseudoscience, or as otherwise errant [:Racialism}}#endnote_rushton-seen-as-pseudoscience].

Distinguishing from racism

While "Racism" refers both to individual attitudes and group behaviour, "racialism" usually implies the existence of a social or Political movement. Supporters of racialism say that "racism" implies racial Supremacism and a harmful intent, whereas "racialism" indicates a strong interest in matters of race without these connotations. Instead, their focus is on "racial pride", Identity politics, and / or racial segregation. Organisations such as NAAWP insist on these distinctions, and vehemently oppose state sponsored racism.

The relationship between the two concepts is expressed at length by Kwame Anthony Appiah in his book In My Father's House:

"the view - which I shall call racialism - that there are heritable characteristics, possessed by members of our species, which allow us to divide them into a small set of races, in such a way that all the members of these races share certain traits and tendencies with each other that they do not share with members of any other race. These traits and tendencies characteristic of a race constitute, on the racialist view, a sort of racial essence; it is part of the content of racialism that the essential heritable characteristics of the "Races of Man" account for more than the visible morphological characteristics - skin colour, hair type, facial features - on the basis of which we make our informal classifications. Racialism is at the heart of nineteenth-century attempts to develop a science of racial difference, but it appears to have been believed by others - like Hegel, before then, and Crummell and many Africans since - who have had no interest in developing scientific theories.

As stated in GURPS Cthulhupunk, Lovecraft was a racialist, but not a bigot: he considered inherent differences exist between races, but does not make them superior or inferior, just different. And a Jew woman and, although they later divorced, he never had hard feeling about her.

Use by white separatist and white supremacist groups

In the present-day U.S., the term "racialism" is commonly used by white separatist and white supremacist groups such as Christian Identity,[:Racialism}}#endnote_use-by-christian-identity] Aryan Nations[:Racialism}}#endnote_use-by-aryan-nations], the American Nazi Party[:Racialism}}#endnote_use-by-american-nazi-party], and White Aryan Resistance[:Racialism}}#endnote_use-by-war] These groups may say that they do not view themselves as superior to - and do not exhibit hatred towards - other races, but only believe in separation between races. In the unique historical context of the U.S., the word "racist" strongly evokes white-on-black racism; the use of the term "racialist" by these groups has more symmetric connotations of portraying white supremacism as being simply the white analog of black Civil rights struggles. For example, former Klan leader David Duke's National Association for the Advancement of White People seeks to portray itself as the white counterpart of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. This analogy is controversial, and is rejected by the black civil rights movement.

W. E. B. DuBois

[image] W.E.B. DuBois argues that racialism is the philosophical belief that differences between the races exist, be it biological, Social, psychological, or in the realm of the Soul. He then goes on to argue that Racism is using this belief to push forward the argument that one's particular race is superior to the others.

Therefore, Dubois separates the conditions of racism from racism itself. (Anthony Kwame Appiah summarises Dubois' position in his book In my father's house, chapter 3.) Racialism in this view is a value-neutral philosophy, while racism is a value-charged ideology.

Molefi Kete Asante criticises DuBois for this very racialism in "The Afrocentric Idea".

Identity politics

Within Identity politics, many groups have emphasised their own race, and the importance or racial differences, whether they be cultural, economic, biological, or political.

The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, and similar organisations, advocate the welfare of a specific ethnicity, without a harmful intent towards others.

See also

External links

References

  1.   /IDC-1-75-663-3727/science_technology/david_suzuki/clip5, retrieved August 18, 2005.
  2.   /2004/09/militias-march-on.html, retrieved August 18, 2005.
  3.   Approving uses of the term were found on , retrieved August 18, 2005.
  4.   Approving uses of the term were found on , retrieved August 18, 2005.
  5.   Approving uses of the term were found on , retrieved August 18, 2005.
  6. For example, an August 18, 2005 Google search of the Nation of Islam web site at returned many hits for "racism," but none for "racialism."

Sources