Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Auto Ethnography







In 1795, Johann Friedrich Blumenbach published his final taxonomy of race, dividing the world population into five categories based on physical features and geographical location. Each of these five categories were further generalized into color:

 - Caucasian variety (white): light-skinned people of Europe and
   surrounding areas
 - Mongolian variety (yellow): eastern Asia
 - Ethiopian variety (black): dark-skinned people of Africa
 - American variety (red): native peoples of the New World
 - Malay variety (brown): Pacific islands and native peoples of Australia
   (aborigines)

This model was an expansion of Linnaean's four-race system, radically shifting the thought that geography alone defined race and added the hierarchy of worth.

This compartmentalization does not allow for cross-cultural relations to be a reality. In examining my own family, I cannot fathom how we would fit into any model. I decided that in order to understand, I needed to create my family tree using this "original modern racial classification".


1 comment:

  1. This is a really interesting piece and I like how you have tried to really break it down, in almost a scientific way. I love how one can also see the map upside down in the mirror. I love cartography and you can actually purchase upside down maps (you may already know this but here it is: http://www.swiftmaps.com/servlet/the-274/World-Upside-Down-Wall/Detail). I find them so interesting not only because it shows the world in a different view but because USA and Europe don't stand out at all! I find that to be fascinating.

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