Science & Media in Construction and Classification of Races
Seyyed Hasan Salehzadeh
Institute for North American Studies
University of Tehran
The role of science to make people believe events and phenomena is distinct to all. Today you can not force people to believe what you want they believe in without scientific affirmation. This is a routine and common way in universities and scientific societies because these scientific centers established on rationality and logic rather than mere assumption. But sometimes these centers can be origins to develop distrustful and manipulated ideas based on very dangerous targeted assumptions that some have called them "Pseudoscience". Another view can emphasize on positive impacts of science on people. Many scholars could change people's negative view on something or someone to positive.
In twenty century, Medias are very important phenomena with efficient and undeniable impacts on people. As time goes on, they become more benefit than past. In early years of twenty century, by emerging cinema on the scene, it became a very important branch of Media to transmit meaning indirectly throughout the world. No one can deny the impacts of movies produced to show blacks' hard and complicated condition in American society through history. Movies such as "A raisin in the sun", "Uncle Tom's cabin" could affect on Americans to make great and positive impacts. The novel "Uncle Tom's cabin" written by Harriet Beacherstow functioned as a great factor to make Americans to think about slavery at the time near to civil war. Contrary to that, there were also movies through them some directors tried to use cinema to show Indians as savage creatures and persuade people, even within America about American violent action toward Indians. These were also impacts. As an example, we, as students in Institute for North American studies, were shown a movie by this title "Drums along the Mohawk" which showed this subject unilaterally.
Racism is one of the issues some scientists intended to prove that scientifically and academic, but some stepped in wrong ways which was called "Scientific Racism". Scientific Racism is defined as propaganda or publications which support racism. For Example, Arthur Gobineau offered An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races (1853-1855) that is a milestone for scientific racism and White supremacy. He wrote a formulation for Biological Racism in contrast to Henry de Boulainvillie's theory of Races. Gobineau divides human to three species based on climate conditions and geographical situation and no color was considered so important. His ideas were upon some biology scientists' theories and ideas such as Alexander Von Homboldt. Homboldt had classified the species. He was a Prussian naturalist and famous as "second discoverer of Cuba". He had some trip to American countries such as Brazil. Gobineau dedicated his essay to King George V of Hanover (1851-66), because he had promised king " he presents to his majesty the fruits of his speculations and studies into the hidden causes of the "revolutions, bloody wars, and lawlessness" that had been going on in Europe through many years". He says " the young ,vigorous, virile, noble races have won over the older races , when these has lost the qualities that had made them winners in the first place". He also says that history has proved and explained that inequality of races is a sign that people's destinies are related together. Then, he gives an example of Great Britain, when it was captured by the people who were King George's ancestors.
Thus, it is easy to say that this essay is not so based on authentic scientific reason, just on some historical cases that are very obvious. In addition, this essay, like many anthropological researches which conducted by those who were funded to do research for colonial purposes, has been conducted to please the king not for humanity. The biological and natural theories are not regarded and considered authentic today, and some tend to view through ontological look, as " Linda Martin Alcoff" in " Philosophies of Races and Ethnicity"(2002:17) says " The fact that races has lost its scientific credibility does not entail, then, that it has lost its ontological status, since on this usage ontology does not imply a reference in a transcendental reality ". She defines "Race is a particular, historically and culturally located form of human categorization involving visual determinants marked on the body through the interplay of perceptual practices and bodily appearance". In ontology, argument is about existence of race.
Michel Foucault's "biopower" was anther scientific theory by which he refers to the numerous and diverse techniques for making others subjugated and to control the population, of course by the use of statistics and probabilities. He believed that biopower allows the control of entire population ( later it was called bio politics).Foucault used this term, first time , in his book The Will of Knowledge and in his second book The History of Sexuality in terms of relation between male/ female and even in economic and politic issues such as modern Nation state , Capitalism.
By biopower, Foucault does not mean the traditional meaning of power that was based on threat of death but he means protection of life and production of other technologies of power, such as notion of sexuality.
As Foucault says sexuality can be used as a strong means of power. For example,, sexual relation between male and female among human being usually determines the issue of power in a family. Many men for their sexual inability do not possess regular power over their families. In contrast, many women may use the relation as means to decrease men's power and to take over them.
Sexuality as a tactic to corrupt enemies always has been implied in different historical periods. For example, Islamic government in Andalusia (today's Spain) was not defeated until it was corrupted by wine and whores, then as a weak government was conquered by Castilians.
According to Foucault's, "Regulation of health, heredity, family, blood and well-being would be the exact examples of biopowers".All these concepts can classify people into different classes. The wealth is the most common that increases human's power over others not possess it. Some social theorists such as "Jean Jacques Roseau" and even Aristotle in ancient Greece believed on the role of wealth in social power and they believed a kind of Aristocracy. Family as another example of power is based on ancestors. Sometimes social status of a family is a reason for them to have power over others or to be superior to others. Blood is a one those factors that royal, elite and feudal families emphasized on it from far past. They did not admit relation with other low level families because of their blood and noble ancestors. Heredity among royal and elite families was based on power. For example in medieval centuries and in Feudalism, there was a tradition that feudalists granted all their feuds to their grand son before their death to keep the family power and to transmit to the next generations. The rest of the sons became chevalier and served their elder brother as their master. Usually elite and rich families who live wealthier can be healthier as well, because they have access to all health facilities such as doctors, clinics, medical cares and etc.
Foucault believed that power is positive, contrast to some who seem it negative, and limitative and similar to censorship. Foucault argues about the value of state power. When the state is established to protect of life of population, anything can be justified. Groups that are identified as the threat to the existence of the life of the nation or of humanity can be removed. He says " If genocide is indeed the dream of modern power, this is not because of the recent return ti the ancient right to kill; it is because power is situated and exercised at the level of life, the species, the race, and large- scale phenomena of the population." (History of sexuality, vol I)
In terms of media, as I said before, Media as the most developed means of communication has a great impact on classification and construction of people and ethnoracial groups. Media, today, is in the hand of wealth and power. People who possess these elements, use media to increase them, so in classification and construction of the society, they are ranked over than others who possess nothing.
Census and researches show that today, in spite of increasing attendance of African-Americans in TV, Movies and Ads, they are not yet represented appropriately. This shows that there are yet those who believe to white supremacy and do not admit the equality of human. In a book by Robert M. Entman and Andrew Rojecki, The Black Image in the White Mind (University of Chicago Press. 2000; paper edition with updated preface, November 2001), the writers have explained the cases in medias in which African-Americans characters shown using vulgar profanity (89%), or being physically violent (56%), being restrained (55%), or in TV ads now show many Blacks and eschew stereotypes. However, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance emerge on close analysis. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the ads, but (unlike Whites) they rarely even touch each other, conveying a subtle message of Black skin as taboo. A hierarchy of racial preference is embedded within the casting of commercials.
In sum, either scientifically or in Media , both we see those who have power and wealth live better and are seemed superior to others ,so here maybe this proverb seems right that " Might is right". Do you believe so?
Reference
1- Philosophies of Race and Ethnicity, Peter Osborn & Stella Sandford
2- Internet
Seyyed Hasan Salehzadeh
Institute for North American Studies
University of Tehran
The role of science to make people believe events and phenomena is distinct to all. Today you can not force people to believe what you want they believe in without scientific affirmation. This is a routine and common way in universities and scientific societies because these scientific centers established on rationality and logic rather than mere assumption. But sometimes these centers can be origins to develop distrustful and manipulated ideas based on very dangerous targeted assumptions that some have called them "Pseudoscience". Another view can emphasize on positive impacts of science on people. Many scholars could change people's negative view on something or someone to positive.
In twenty century, Medias are very important phenomena with efficient and undeniable impacts on people. As time goes on, they become more benefit than past. In early years of twenty century, by emerging cinema on the scene, it became a very important branch of Media to transmit meaning indirectly throughout the world. No one can deny the impacts of movies produced to show blacks' hard and complicated condition in American society through history. Movies such as "A raisin in the sun", "Uncle Tom's cabin" could affect on Americans to make great and positive impacts. The novel "Uncle Tom's cabin" written by Harriet Beacherstow functioned as a great factor to make Americans to think about slavery at the time near to civil war. Contrary to that, there were also movies through them some directors tried to use cinema to show Indians as savage creatures and persuade people, even within America about American violent action toward Indians. These were also impacts. As an example, we, as students in Institute for North American studies, were shown a movie by this title "Drums along the Mohawk" which showed this subject unilaterally.
Racism is one of the issues some scientists intended to prove that scientifically and academic, but some stepped in wrong ways which was called "Scientific Racism". Scientific Racism is defined as propaganda or publications which support racism. For Example, Arthur Gobineau offered An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races (1853-1855) that is a milestone for scientific racism and White supremacy. He wrote a formulation for Biological Racism in contrast to Henry de Boulainvillie's theory of Races. Gobineau divides human to three species based on climate conditions and geographical situation and no color was considered so important. His ideas were upon some biology scientists' theories and ideas such as Alexander Von Homboldt. Homboldt had classified the species. He was a Prussian naturalist and famous as "second discoverer of Cuba". He had some trip to American countries such as Brazil. Gobineau dedicated his essay to King George V of Hanover (1851-66), because he had promised king " he presents to his majesty the fruits of his speculations and studies into the hidden causes of the "revolutions, bloody wars, and lawlessness" that had been going on in Europe through many years". He says " the young ,vigorous, virile, noble races have won over the older races , when these has lost the qualities that had made them winners in the first place". He also says that history has proved and explained that inequality of races is a sign that people's destinies are related together. Then, he gives an example of Great Britain, when it was captured by the people who were King George's ancestors.
Thus, it is easy to say that this essay is not so based on authentic scientific reason, just on some historical cases that are very obvious. In addition, this essay, like many anthropological researches which conducted by those who were funded to do research for colonial purposes, has been conducted to please the king not for humanity. The biological and natural theories are not regarded and considered authentic today, and some tend to view through ontological look, as " Linda Martin Alcoff" in " Philosophies of Races and Ethnicity"(2002:17) says " The fact that races has lost its scientific credibility does not entail, then, that it has lost its ontological status, since on this usage ontology does not imply a reference in a transcendental reality ". She defines "Race is a particular, historically and culturally located form of human categorization involving visual determinants marked on the body through the interplay of perceptual practices and bodily appearance". In ontology, argument is about existence of race.
Michel Foucault's "biopower" was anther scientific theory by which he refers to the numerous and diverse techniques for making others subjugated and to control the population, of course by the use of statistics and probabilities. He believed that biopower allows the control of entire population ( later it was called bio politics).Foucault used this term, first time , in his book The Will of Knowledge and in his second book The History of Sexuality in terms of relation between male/ female and even in economic and politic issues such as modern Nation state , Capitalism.
By biopower, Foucault does not mean the traditional meaning of power that was based on threat of death but he means protection of life and production of other technologies of power, such as notion of sexuality.
As Foucault says sexuality can be used as a strong means of power. For example,, sexual relation between male and female among human being usually determines the issue of power in a family. Many men for their sexual inability do not possess regular power over their families. In contrast, many women may use the relation as means to decrease men's power and to take over them.
Sexuality as a tactic to corrupt enemies always has been implied in different historical periods. For example, Islamic government in Andalusia (today's Spain) was not defeated until it was corrupted by wine and whores, then as a weak government was conquered by Castilians.
According to Foucault's, "Regulation of health, heredity, family, blood and well-being would be the exact examples of biopowers".All these concepts can classify people into different classes. The wealth is the most common that increases human's power over others not possess it. Some social theorists such as "Jean Jacques Roseau" and even Aristotle in ancient Greece believed on the role of wealth in social power and they believed a kind of Aristocracy. Family as another example of power is based on ancestors. Sometimes social status of a family is a reason for them to have power over others or to be superior to others. Blood is a one those factors that royal, elite and feudal families emphasized on it from far past. They did not admit relation with other low level families because of their blood and noble ancestors. Heredity among royal and elite families was based on power. For example in medieval centuries and in Feudalism, there was a tradition that feudalists granted all their feuds to their grand son before their death to keep the family power and to transmit to the next generations. The rest of the sons became chevalier and served their elder brother as their master. Usually elite and rich families who live wealthier can be healthier as well, because they have access to all health facilities such as doctors, clinics, medical cares and etc.
Foucault believed that power is positive, contrast to some who seem it negative, and limitative and similar to censorship. Foucault argues about the value of state power. When the state is established to protect of life of population, anything can be justified. Groups that are identified as the threat to the existence of the life of the nation or of humanity can be removed. He says " If genocide is indeed the dream of modern power, this is not because of the recent return ti the ancient right to kill; it is because power is situated and exercised at the level of life, the species, the race, and large- scale phenomena of the population." (History of sexuality, vol I)
In terms of media, as I said before, Media as the most developed means of communication has a great impact on classification and construction of people and ethnoracial groups. Media, today, is in the hand of wealth and power. People who possess these elements, use media to increase them, so in classification and construction of the society, they are ranked over than others who possess nothing.
Census and researches show that today, in spite of increasing attendance of African-Americans in TV, Movies and Ads, they are not yet represented appropriately. This shows that there are yet those who believe to white supremacy and do not admit the equality of human. In a book by Robert M. Entman and Andrew Rojecki, The Black Image in the White Mind (University of Chicago Press. 2000; paper edition with updated preface, November 2001), the writers have explained the cases in medias in which African-Americans characters shown using vulgar profanity (89%), or being physically violent (56%), being restrained (55%), or in TV ads now show many Blacks and eschew stereotypes. However, hidden patterns of differentiation and distance emerge on close analysis. Not surprisingly, for instance, Blacks do not touch Whites in the ads, but (unlike Whites) they rarely even touch each other, conveying a subtle message of Black skin as taboo. A hierarchy of racial preference is embedded within the casting of commercials.
In sum, either scientifically or in Media , both we see those who have power and wealth live better and are seemed superior to others ,so here maybe this proverb seems right that " Might is right". Do you believe so?
Reference
1- Philosophies of Race and Ethnicity, Peter Osborn & Stella Sandford
2- Internet
posted by seyyed hasan at 1:01 AM
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