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Racism and discrimination have been persistent problems throughout human history. It has taken many forms and has been justified by various theories and beliefs. The theory of biological determinism is one of the central premises used to justify discrimination and inequality. Despite the efforts of anti-racism activists and scholars to challenge biological determinism and promote equality and inclusiveness, discrimination remains persistent in many societies.
Challenging Biological Determinism
Biological determinism is a scientific theory that suggests humans are divided into physically and genetically distinct races, and all their differences are determined by hereditary factors. In the historical construction of racial status, biological determinism became the main premise for the development of the idea of white superiority over other races. To oppose biological determinism, many scholars began to propagate the idea that the differences between races are the result of cultural and historical influence, not hereditary factors. There was an initiative on people not to view other races in a negative light and recognize the equality of all races (Smedley and Smedley). It was argued that racial categories are not scientifically based, but simply artificial constructs created for the convenience of classification.
Despite the scholars’ efforts, the idea of biological determinism can still be found today in many places. Some people still believe in racial superiority and use this belief to justify discrimination and inequality. It has led to ongoing racial tensions and conflicts and the perpetuation of systemic racism in many societies. In response, anti-racism activists and scholars have continued challenging biological determinism and promoting a more inclusive and equitable society. They have encouraged rejecting beliefs and policies based on race and have promoted equal treatment and opportunities for everyone, regardless of their racial background.
The Impact of Immigration on Racial and Ethnic Dynamics
Throughout the history of the United States, massive immigration has been a crucial component in forming cultural views. According to Barrett and Roediger, immigration significantly impacted the racial and ethnic dynamics in the United States. They argue that the immigration of white Southern and Eastern Europeans changed the geography of whites in the United States as the new immigrants settled in new regions and expanded the discourse on race and immigration. For example, the immigration of different white Southern and Eastern European groups helped soften the rules and prejudices regarding different races and changed public opinion about different immigrant groups. They also showed how immigration helped to create a new multi-racial and multi-ethnic America. For instance, Italian immigrants were among the first of many international groups to join the white bourgeois class of the US. Thus, immigration changed the racial and ethnic dynamics in the United States by adding new immigrant groups to the multi-racial society.
The Injustice of Settler Colonialism
The genocide of settler colonialism – a concept developed by Danbara-Ortis – describes the government policy of colonialism that includes harmful policies and practices directed towards the extermination, oppression, protection, and displacement of indigenous peoples. It happened during and after the colonial period and followed the process of white settlement in different regions. According to Dunbar-Ortiz, the genocide of settler colonialism includes practices of coercion and disruption of cultural practices, legal and political possibilities, economic development, and social integration of indigenous peoples (pp. 4-9). The leading practices were forced displacement, forced use of their land and seafaring, and prohibition of indigenous cultures and achievements.
There was also forced assimilation to suppress indigenous cultures and replace them with white cultures. However, the genocide of settler colonialism does not lead to the complete extermination of indigenous peoples. Instead, it is a form of oppression and persecution that damages the aims and structures of indigenous cultures and societies. For indigenous peoples, this leads to the loss of identity, rights, and justice, while the white population gains advantages over their merits. Thus, the genocide of settler colonialism is not only an act of harmful policy but also an act of injustice expressed through the domination of one group over another.
Works Cited
Barrett, James H., and David R. Roediger. “Inbetween Peoples: Race, Nationality and the New Immigrant Working Class.” Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks, vol. 16, no. 3, Palgrave Macmillan, 1997, pp. 181–220. Web.
Dunbar-Ortiz, Roxanne. An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States. Beacon Press, 2014.
Smedley, Audrey, and Brian D. Smedley. “Race as Biology Is Fiction, Racism as a Social Problem Is Real: Anthropological and Historical Perspectives on the Social Construction of Race.” American Psychologist, vol. 60, no. 1, American Psychological Association, 2005, pp. 16–26. Web.
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