Anthropology and the Question of Race

Explore the complex relationship between anthropology and race in this 29-minute lecture from The Great Courses. Delve into the history of Social Darwinism and its impact on society, including imperialism and eugenics. Discover how 20th-century anthropologists like Franz Boas challenged biological determinism and introduced the concept of cultural relativity. Examine the persistence of racial myths, health inequalities, and the evolving understanding of race in modern contexts. Gain insights into how archaeologists have historically approached race and how the US Census Bureau now categorizes racial data. Uncover the cultural construction of race and its independence from biology and geography, ultimately addressing the question of whether there is truly only one human race.

Is There Truly Only One Race—the Human Race?
Charles Orser: How Archaeologists Confuse Race
How Social Darwinism Spread
"White Man's Burden" and Imperialism
Eugenics Creed Leads to Sterilization
Darwin's Cousin Francis Galton Champions Eugenics
Oliver Wendell Holmes Endorses Eugenics
How Did We Get Past Social Darwinism?
Franz Boas Moves Beyond Biological Determinism
Defining Cultural Relativity
Why Does the Myth of Multiple Human Races Persist?
Understanding Health Inequalities
US Census Bureau Clarifies Use of Racial Categories
How Our Origins Inform Our Understanding of Race