The Interplay Between Scientific Racism & Classical Race Concepts

This essay examines the intricate relationship between scientific racism and the classical concept of race, highlighting the historical and societal impacts of racism. It discusses how racism manifests in psychological and physiological differences, leading to discrimination based on skin color, gender, and other factors. The essay explores the role of social media, sports, and religion in perpetuating racial barriers, while also addressing the psychological trauma experienced by victims of racism. It further delves into the concept of scientific racism, contrasting it with classical racism and discussing its decline after World War II. The essay emphasizes that race is more of a social myth than a biological phenomenon, advocating for equal treatment and condemning categorization based on race and ethnicity. It concludes by touching on social Darwinism and the importance of evolutionary genetics in understanding and combating racial discrimination, highlighting the need for government policies and societal changes to address this persistent social evil. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study resources for students.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
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Author Note

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Introduction
The following paper aims to ventilate the opinions about the relationship between
scientific racism and the classical concept of race. The race and racism have a huge impact on
the several issues in society. The differences are made both in the psychological and
physiological levels of human beings (Bobo 1999). The human beings at all levels of the
community have suffered this evil impact of racism several times. This is why several people
across the world have been tortured and been the victims of racism within society. The
discriminations have been made in the community based on the skin color and the gender of the
people for a long time now. So this kind of exploitation of the people should not be tolerated at
all. This has created a sort of mental stress among the people as well. This becomes quite
problematic for the minority inhabitants of society.
Scientific racism is one of the most important matters for the overall understanding of
racism within the constraints of modern society (Bobo 1999). The scientific racism is considered
as a kind of pseudoscientific belief that can be related with the racial discriminations within the
community. The superiority and inferiority among the minds of the people are one of the most
interesting matters. Some of the ideas regarding the scientific racism had received a prominence
within the society, but in the current times, its popularity has not been that much. The concept of
anthropology is very much associated with this matter of scientific racism since the physical
harassments have been very popular (Brattain 2007).
In recent times, UNESCO has released the statement by making the declaration that the
idea of the myth of race and biological notions of competition should be made distinguished for a
better understanding of the people. In this paper the relationship between the classical concepts
of race and scientific racism should be established. The several issues within the traditional idea

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of scientific racism would be discussed in detail in this paper. This would give the readers a
fairer idea on how to show the approach in this topic.
The classical concept of race
Racism should be taken as a poison that has been harming society in many ways. The
aboriginal people are present in many countries in the current times like Australia, Canada, India
and many others. The contribution of social media to this problem is immense as well. This is
why the young people within the society are affected mainly owing to the racism in the current
times (Brattain 2007). However, the impacts of racism have been noticed in the sports as well.
Especially in football all over the world and the NBA Basketball league in the United States of
America the evil impacts of racism have been noticed. Several Afro-Americans play in the NBA
Basketball league, and they have been the victims of racism from time to time. The international
football parent organization FIFA has also advertised to stand up against the evil of racial
discrimination properly. This factor is an outcome of the intolerance of some people within the
society who do not think about the social harmony at all.
The impacts of racism on society and the communities are massive since some people
often make personal attacks on the victims based on their skin color and other issues. Apart from
the skin color issues, the impact of racism are also felt through the different issues like gender
diversity and sexual preferences as well (Brattain 2007)..On the contrary, several people are
happy with these differences and they defend this kind of difference since they believe it will
help to create a sense of harmony among the people as well. Through the classical concept of
racism, it can be stated that religion has also been used as a weapon for creating the racial
barriers within the people. This is why some of the critics have argued that all these issues have

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contributed mainly to the development of the racial issues within the society. It has also been
acknowledged that the personal attacks on the people might cause a sense of disruption as well.
This is why the approach of these people should have to be changed. The consequences of these
differences can be immense (Brattain 2007).
The classical concept of racism also takes into consideration the issue of the
discrimination against the minority people within the society because of their poor economic
condition. This is a poor approach to the situation by the people. It is the responsibility of the
government to make some laws regarding this practice. Only then some positive steps could be
taken (Brattain 2007). The ethnicity, background culture and the race are some crucial
parameters by which the harmony of the society is measured. The modern people in the
community have somewhat progressed to think of this matter in a trifle way, but the concern
remains whether the psychological impacts of racism can ever be erased from the minds of the
people. The people who have become the victims of the racism in during sometime have faced
the harsh aspects of life. The racism is the crime when thought about their impacts on personal
levels. Some strict laws should be made to find the offenders and punish them effectively.
The psychological impacts of racism
The race is a valid concept in the modern context, but the critics have argued about the
proper management of the situation. The comments and opinions of the victims suggest that it
has been a traumatic issue for them from several viewpoints (Todorov 1993) At first, the victims
have lost their faith and self-confidence entirely leading to the breakdown. The everyday racism
is much sinful.. This would lead to adverse effects in the minds of the people. According to the
critics, all types of people belonging to all the streams of the society are quite common but

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everyone within the community deserves the same respect as others. Sometimes the migrants
from different countries also come to the host countries and face the problematic scenario
regarding racism (Todorov 1993) Thus classical racism has not at all been very useful for society
at all.
The scientific racism
The scientific racism is a vast topic to discuss on. This has been one of the most exciting
matters in the contemporary age of racism and modern society (Rodat 2017). Many researchers
have argued over this fact since that the scientific racism does not fit in modern society. So it can
be said there is a proper distinction between scientific bigotry and classical racism. Racism has
been prominent for centuries now (Raskoff 2009). The British Empire in several regions all over
the world had suppressed the native people of those countries (Todorov 1993). However, it must
be mentioned that racism is concerned with the aspects of social science. This shows the fact
how the people within the society can cope up with these issues adequately and establish their
identities within the social sphere (Rodat 2017).
On the contrary, it has also been counter-argued that the governments have not taken any
proper steps to prevent this action by some people within the society. The several political
prejudices are also significant in these issues as well (Tashaspawn 2008). The social scientific
problems have been quite important in this regard and sociology is a significant part in this
matter as well (Rodat 2017).
The scientific racism was no more in action, and the theoretical perspectives ceased to be
in practice after the end of the Second World War (Raskoff 2009). However, the experts have
pointed out that the scientific racism had been in practice from the beginning of the 17th century

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to the end of the First World War. The experts in the 20th century have criticized this scientific
racism in numerous ways, and this has been one of the most significant problems as to why this
idea does not exist anymore during this time. So, this idea has been obsolete in recent times. The
classification of the human population in the 21st century should not be judged on their skin
color, ethnicity and cultural background or anything else (Tashaspawn 2008).
The racial hierarchy has been one of the most significant issues in this section since the
people do not want to get categorized as per the issues as mentioned above. The superiority and
inferiority among the people regarding the racism have been a common factor, and it must be
addressed with much strictness. The critics have acknowledged the fact that the race is more of a
social myth than being a biological phenomenon (Rodat 2017). It is because they are all humans
and they all deserve the same facilities within the society for being the humans. If the
categorizations are done from their race and ethnicity despite being social creatures with the
same biological attributes, it would be a pure injustice to them. This is why the categorizations
within the society should not be encouraged at all (Smedley and Smedley 2005). As the anatomy
of these people is same, it would be a problem for them to adjust in the diverse conditions with
so many issues owing to multiculturalism. The science mainly biology has often shown that the
genetic differences within the human population are usually gradual and it cannot be considered
as a valid reason for the harassments and tortures on them (Rodat 2017).
The evolution of human genetics goes through gradual improvements. This fact
establishes the issue that no human being can be distinguished as per their caste, religion and
other factors. The experts should recognize the fact the differences that are assumed between the
human beings are mainly dependent on their genetics and it not acceptable at all. The factors
determined by Darwin are very much crucial to be taken into account (Smedley and Smedley

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2005). The decay of the human society is there mostly because of the racial discriminations
within the community. Some people have commented in this regard that the demographics and
culture is the probable destiny of the people of the countries (Brattain 2007) The national
governments of many countries have not agreed to take proper policies to battle against this
social evil of racism. In several states, no such strict action is taken to punish the offenders for
making the verbal abuses relating to racism. Those people do not possess an idea of the
evolutionary genetics in their minds as well. This is why they go on to hurt the people and
destroy their self-confidence (Smedley and Smedley 2005).
Social Darwinism and Pseudo-scientific racism
However, this scientific racism shows that all human beings have a common ancestry and
they all belong to that only (Brattain 2007) All human beings should co-exist in nature and this is
what common good for the entire society is. These activities should aim at the well-being of the
ordinary people and providing the benefits to them. Even it is the responsibility of the
governments as well. The works of Charles Darwin is very much important in this context. The
theories he propagated should be put to practice to understand the scientific racism. The
implementation of the several methods of the molecular biology can also be taken into account
for this concept (Smedley and Smedley 2005).
Justification of scientific racism
According to the experts, the aspects of social Darwinism state that the weak and unfit
people for the society should be allowed to die (Sills 2019). In this discourse, it can be said that
the aboriginals and less privileged people across the countries have not been able to adjust to the
modern lifestyle. However, this should not be held responsible for the racist harassments on the

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people (Brattain 2007) The critics have also counter-argued if these people do not have the
proper potential to survive in this changing world, they should not be harassed. It is because all
the human beings have their rights to live (Sills 2019). This is why the rights of human rights
should be respected. The social Darwinism also opines that some of the human beings are
superior to others in the natural form as well (Sills 2019). Those people have the same human
origin, but all of them do not get the same respect. Darwin had said that the strongest and fittest
persons should survive in the society and should flourish. The biological superiority is one of the
most significant issues in scientific racism and it is not considered within the classical concept of
racism. So, the main contrast between the biological superiority in the scientific racism and
traditional racism (Brattain 2007). The aspect of natural selection has to be considered within
this context in a significant manner since the scenario does not give added privileges to the
stronger person to insult the weaker people.
The racist doctrines should not be connected with the natural selection factors positively
(Rodat 2017). Thus the origin of the races can be traced back to the age of Darwin where he had
discovered entirely the various issues regarding the social history employed by Darwin. The
justification on the inequalities between the species of the original groups is given in this
scientific racism (Raskoff 2009). Scientific discourse always tends to provide better sound
knowledge on this matter. According to the scientists, the different categories of the human
species do exist, and they are very commonly different from each other due to the genetic issues.
Both these ideas had been there from the 17th century (Rodat 2017).
Racism is mainly the idea where the superior people in the society get the better
privileges than the inferior people. It is most prevalent in the societal context than the scientific
context overall (Hannaford 1996). This idea of racism can be considered as a very recent idea of

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about last five hundred years. It is because in the previous time's different groups had existed as
well. No historical records have suggested such harassments, tortures and oppressions of the
inferior people. Charles Darwin had invented this theory some 150 years back, but the idea has
remained the same (Rodat 2017). The scientific racism has not at all been accepted throughout
the world since it is a relatively new concept. However, this does not mean that the hatred among
the people all over the world has not been seen over the past centuries (Raskoff 2009) The fact
can be summed up by saying that the theory of race in the science should not be mixed with that
of the class segregations all over the world. The societal conflicts owing to race are not at all a
part of science (Hannaford 1996).
The origin of the Eugenics movement
The Eugenics movement can be considered as a valid issue for the development of the
races within the modern society (Raskoff 2009). The mathematical approaches to heredity could
be considered as a significant issue in this context. The critics have argued over the fact that the
aspects of societal racism and the oppressive activities over the inferior people cannot be
associated with the precise movements (Gale 2008). The social programs could not be
adequately initiated since the rates of fertility had been much uneven. The poor people were
outbreeding the rich people infertility despite not getting all the privileges properly (Hannaford
1996). The concerned people are of the opinion that the eugenics should not be able to rule the
scientific racism again in the future. Thus the theorists have suggested that scientific racism
should not be applied in the sphere of the contemporary classical racism (Sills 2019).
The racial science commences with the approach that the differences of racism are very
much real and significant in the history of the human race (Rodat 2017). They can be measured

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in the scientific ways as well. The experts have suggested that the human race and its differences
are hereditary (Hannaford 1996). This has been one of the revolutionary achievements of the
scientific racism Some examples can also be given in this context such as the Appalachian white
people could be assimilated into the American life since they could racially fit with the Anglo
Saxon people of Europe (Sills 2019). The racial science is much based on the racial hierarchy.
The racial science has suggested that the various races could be ranked by the innate fitness to
survive within the society (Gale 2008). The racial hierarchy could gain the differences of the
opinion. The implications of the racial hierarchy could be significant to understand the main
issues within the racial science. The experts have argued that this matter of the scientific racism
is mainly vague so they do not want these implications to dominate society again (Hannaford
1996).
The racial scientists of the progressive era have not been able to define the issues
regarding race (Geertz 1973) They have not at all been consistent in this regard, and their
definitions have not been precise as well. The innately inferior races have been suppressed in the
society by the dominant races and this is not the way that the races should be adequately defined.
As the economically poor black people of Africa could not fit into the racial hierarchy the matter
of upliftment within the society could not be applied to them (Todorov 1993). The racial
differences could only be settled if the interbreeding could be processed between the racially
inferior and superior people (Smedley and Smedley 2005). The racial science says that the race
of the human beings could be defined by the skin color and ancestral origin of the people. If this
is the main point for the argument of the racial scientists, there would be no point about the
implementation of the racial issues. The progressive Era experts had treated the English people

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with the Irish, Poles or the Swiss people on the basis of race only since they were considered as
different in the biological sense (Geertz 1973)
The aspect of measurement is considered as one of the most important issues in scientific
racism (Rodat 2017). The experts have argued in favour of the implementation of the
measurement tools to get an idea about the racial differences within the society (Redman 2016).
The potential means for giving the ranks on the separate races have been considered as essential
matters for determining the racial issues within the society. The context of the Intelligence
Testing had flourished in the Progressive Era (Geertz 1973) This is why the scientists
determining the racism had to depend on the anthropological measurements (Geertz 1973) The
skull measurement or the craniometry system had been taken as a valuable measurement tool for
this objective. William Z had employed the cranial index. Ripley had invented a well-established
measurement tool for measuring the racial differences (Smedley and Smedley 2005). However,
this kind of scientific racism is very much different from that of the classical racism that existed
within the constraints of the society in the past few centuries. The racial categories that were set
by Ripley were not at all tight and fast. This was because he was not sure where he could keep
the Jews in the national ranks. Even later on he had placed the Slavs on to a different racial
category (Geertz 1973).
The critics have also argued that William Z. Ripley was for a racial scientist than a
scientific racist. It is because he had put more focus on the science on the background racism and
racial categories rather implementing science to determine the racial issues (Todorov 1993). The
cranial index that he invented was beneficial since the measurements would be based upon the
measure of the width of skulls to the length of skulls (Gannon 2016). The confusion between the
human race and racism began to rise through this kind of categorization. However, he found out

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that the human beings of the Teutonic race were long skulled or dolichocephalic. The
Mediterranean people were also the same, but they're shorter (Gannon 2016).
As for this index, the Caucasians from Europe were divided into three different races. He
researched and concluded that the Alpine people were many rounds skulled or brachycephalic.
These differences were the bases for the determination of the racial standards based on science.
The term Eugenics is derived from the Greek terminology and this means ‘well-born'. This fact
described the process of improving the heredity of human beings by the active social control of
human beings. These things should be considered as critical factors for assuming the racial
differences within society (Gannon 2016). There are some stereotypical measurements in this
matter where the differences between the superior and inferior classes would be based on the
social classes and the religion. This is why the differences between classical racism and scientific
racism could be adequately understood. (Gannon 2016).
The distinction between scientific racism and classical racism
Now comes the issue of the difference between scientific racism or traditional racism.
This distinction is much valid in several aspects (Gale 2008). It is because the people who
encourage classical racism have not discussed these terms and the scientific issues (Gannon
2016). Instead their distinctions are valid on harassing a section of the people within the
constraints of the society and making them aloof from the mainstream culture. This is genuinely
a terrible practice for those people, and it is a horrifying experience for them as well (Todorov
1993).
As per eugenics, the biological supremacy and measurement of the skulls is the main
factor for determining the racial hierarchy (Gale 2008). The impact of classical racism has been