Origins of Racializing Thought - Race, Gender, and Otherness in Anciet Philosophy
Main funder
Funds granted by main funder (€)
- 280 000,00
Project timetable
Project start date: 01/08/2022
Project end date: 31/07/2026
Summary
The research project investigates the notions of “race”, gender and otherness caused e.g. by national origin or disability, and the theoretical underpinnings and consequences of these views within the history of Western philosophy. By scrutinizing philosophical sources through the prism of intersectional feminism, the project highlights different narratives of otherness, classifications and groupings of people, and intersections or parallels between different categories (such as, woman, slave, barbarian, etc.). The main focus is on Ancient Greek and Roman theories (the area of Grahn-Wilder’s expertise), and their legacy in the philosophies of Early Modern era and Enlightenment (the area of Reuter’s expertise).
The project aims at revealing certain early origins and historical continuations of racializing thought – in other words, theories or ways of thinking that posit differences and hierarchies between groups of people, attempt to naturalize these differences by treating them as universal and unchangeable, and assume intrinsic connections between physical and mental capacities. Intersectional methodology helps us to show how the different categories of marginalization intertwine, and analyze the various metaphysical, ethical, medical and political arguments that are used to explain and justify these categories.
We ask, for example, how and on which grounds people were grouped together in different philosophical theories, and how do such concepts as physical features, national origin or cultural differences configure in such groupings? What do women and slaves have in common, and how are these categories different? Which are the critical counterarguments other thinkers presented against such classifications? What are the consequences of the reoccurring xenophobic tendencies (such as the juxtaposition between Greeks and barbarians) for the philosophers’ views on human beings and their capacities? Are all children viewed as educable and capable of reaching for happiness ad wisdom, or only some? Does the Ancient physiognomic theory continue in the early modern systems of though that were used to justify slavery, or in the biopolitical practices formulated in the 18th century? Why did both race and sex develop into biological concept during this time?
By posing original research questions to Ancient original sources the project offers a detailed scrutiny of history of philosophy that also opens up important and topical perspectives to the present-day society. In order to understand the racial prejudges and xenophobia of today, it is significant to engage in a critical investigation of the history of racializing thought and different modes of marginalization in early phases of the Western philosophical tradition. A critical scrutiny of the history of philosophy also provides tools for an examination of present-day attitudes, prejudices and practices. The project reveals further how for example Stoic philosophy provides powerful arguments against categorizing people into separate groups and positing artificial hierarchies between them. Our research is directed towards the history of philosophy, but its significance is closely connected to this day and its debates. The project is methodologically ground breaking in applying intersectional perspective to a study in history of philosophy.
The project aims at revealing certain early origins and historical continuations of racializing thought – in other words, theories or ways of thinking that posit differences and hierarchies between groups of people, attempt to naturalize these differences by treating them as universal and unchangeable, and assume intrinsic connections between physical and mental capacities. Intersectional methodology helps us to show how the different categories of marginalization intertwine, and analyze the various metaphysical, ethical, medical and political arguments that are used to explain and justify these categories.
We ask, for example, how and on which grounds people were grouped together in different philosophical theories, and how do such concepts as physical features, national origin or cultural differences configure in such groupings? What do women and slaves have in common, and how are these categories different? Which are the critical counterarguments other thinkers presented against such classifications? What are the consequences of the reoccurring xenophobic tendencies (such as the juxtaposition between Greeks and barbarians) for the philosophers’ views on human beings and their capacities? Are all children viewed as educable and capable of reaching for happiness ad wisdom, or only some? Does the Ancient physiognomic theory continue in the early modern systems of though that were used to justify slavery, or in the biopolitical practices formulated in the 18th century? Why did both race and sex develop into biological concept during this time?
By posing original research questions to Ancient original sources the project offers a detailed scrutiny of history of philosophy that also opens up important and topical perspectives to the present-day society. In order to understand the racial prejudges and xenophobia of today, it is significant to engage in a critical investigation of the history of racializing thought and different modes of marginalization in early phases of the Western philosophical tradition. A critical scrutiny of the history of philosophy also provides tools for an examination of present-day attitudes, prejudices and practices. The project reveals further how for example Stoic philosophy provides powerful arguments against categorizing people into separate groups and positing artificial hierarchies between them. Our research is directed towards the history of philosophy, but its significance is closely connected to this day and its debates. The project is methodologically ground breaking in applying intersectional perspective to a study in history of philosophy.
