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Race and Racism in Continental Philosophy
The 15 original essays in Race and Racism in Continental Philosophy explore the resources that continental philosophy brings to debates about contemporary race theory and investigate the racism of some of Europe's most important thinkers. Attention is devoted to the influence of the work of W. E. B. Du Bois, Jean-Paul Sartre, Richard Wright, and Frantz Fanon. Questions about race in European philosophy―especially in the work of Nietzsche, Heidegger, Lévi-Strauss, and Arendt―are also considered. This volume provides an indispensable critical introduction to new perspectives on thinking about race and racism.
- GenresPhilosophyRace
328 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
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October 24, 2024
AN IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF ESSAYS ON RACISM AND CONTINENTAL PHILOSOPHY
Robert L. Bernasconi (born 1950) is Professor of Philosophy at Pennsylvania State University, and was formerly at the University of Memphis. Sybol Cook (now Anderson) is an assistant professor of philosophy at St. Mary's College.
Bernasconi writes in the Introduction to this 2003 volume, "To be sure, the aim of this volume is not to contribute to the formation of an alternative field of study, 'Continental race theory,' that would be removed from---or, worse still, opposed to---'analytic race theory.' Although I believe that there are questions in race theory that someone educated in Continental philosophy is in a better position to address than someone who is not, I also believe that this is a field of study whose urgency is such that sectarian differences have no place.
"The main aim of the present volume is, therefore, to draw attention to some of the resources for race theory within Continental philosophy and make them accessible to all practitioners in the field. A second aim of this volume is to encourage Continental philosophers who have not already done so to explore the wealth of thinking on race within their own tradition."
Here are some quotations from the book:
"I do not think that Du Bois thought, especially given the fact that he was of mixed racial heritage, that the lines of racial difference in the United States strictly followed lines of physical difference. Further, in his use of the term 'blood,' he seemed to have in mind the fact that in the United States race is assigned through birth and lineage. Either way, if his talk of 'blood' was figurative or if it communicated his belief in African American biological racial difference, it did not lessen his core claim that race is essentially a sociohistorical concept." (Pg. 44)
"There is a distinction between Nietzsche's public and private writings on Jews. In the public writings (those published in his lifetime), one witnesses his attempts to be diplomatic and to distinguish himself from the anti-Semitism of his time. In his private writings (his letters and unpublished notebooks), he is less diplomatic and his attacks are often ad hominem." (Pg. 53)
"Heidegger's fundamental thesis in these lectures is that history is essential to, and definitive of, being human. It is in arguing this thesis that he makes the by now somewhat notorious statements about 'negroes' having no history. These statements occur as part of his consideration of a possible objection to the thesis that he has been arguing, the thesis that history is the defining characteristic of being human." (Pg. 76)
"I have argued in this essay that Heidegger has a strong view of cultural identity as determined by 'history' rather than 'nature,' that he is therefore not a biological racist, and yet he does suppose that descent plays a role in determining membership in a Volk. I have speculated that Heidegger could consistently maintain this through the claim that descent enters history through people's self-identification, and that this is a legitimate claim." (Pg. 93)
Racism among philosophers is a controversial topic; but this book will be 'must reading' for anyone studying the topic.
Robert L. Bernasconi (born 1950) is Professor of Philosophy at Pennsylvania State University, and was formerly at the University of Memphis. Sybol Cook (now Anderson) is an assistant professor of philosophy at St. Mary's College.
Bernasconi writes in the Introduction to this 2003 volume, "To be sure, the aim of this volume is not to contribute to the formation of an alternative field of study, 'Continental race theory,' that would be removed from---or, worse still, opposed to---'analytic race theory.' Although I believe that there are questions in race theory that someone educated in Continental philosophy is in a better position to address than someone who is not, I also believe that this is a field of study whose urgency is such that sectarian differences have no place.
"The main aim of the present volume is, therefore, to draw attention to some of the resources for race theory within Continental philosophy and make them accessible to all practitioners in the field. A second aim of this volume is to encourage Continental philosophers who have not already done so to explore the wealth of thinking on race within their own tradition."
Here are some quotations from the book:
"I do not think that Du Bois thought, especially given the fact that he was of mixed racial heritage, that the lines of racial difference in the United States strictly followed lines of physical difference. Further, in his use of the term 'blood,' he seemed to have in mind the fact that in the United States race is assigned through birth and lineage. Either way, if his talk of 'blood' was figurative or if it communicated his belief in African American biological racial difference, it did not lessen his core claim that race is essentially a sociohistorical concept." (Pg. 44)
"There is a distinction between Nietzsche's public and private writings on Jews. In the public writings (those published in his lifetime), one witnesses his attempts to be diplomatic and to distinguish himself from the anti-Semitism of his time. In his private writings (his letters and unpublished notebooks), he is less diplomatic and his attacks are often ad hominem." (Pg. 53)
"Heidegger's fundamental thesis in these lectures is that history is essential to, and definitive of, being human. It is in arguing this thesis that he makes the by now somewhat notorious statements about 'negroes' having no history. These statements occur as part of his consideration of a possible objection to the thesis that he has been arguing, the thesis that history is the defining characteristic of being human." (Pg. 76)
"I have argued in this essay that Heidegger has a strong view of cultural identity as determined by 'history' rather than 'nature,' that he is therefore not a biological racist, and yet he does suppose that descent plays a role in determining membership in a Volk. I have speculated that Heidegger could consistently maintain this through the claim that descent enters history through people's self-identification, and that this is a legitimate claim." (Pg. 93)
Racism among philosophers is a controversial topic; but this book will be 'must reading' for anyone studying the topic.
April 27, 2023
only some chapters are good. not sure about the heidegger chapter. but I like Joy James' analysis of Arendt's theory of power, its limitation & possibility to overcome its limitations
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews