The Race Concept Lecture 9 Bioanth

Age of Exploration

Europeans sailing the world and discovering new lands, peoples, etc

Giordano Bruno

Italian Philosopher; Attempted to classify humans based on rudimentary geographic arrangements based on skin color

Jean Bodin

Also tried to classify humans based on skin color, but with descriptive categories like “black, chestnut, etc”

John Ray

Species guy; classified human populations according to food habits, skin color, shape, etc

Francois Bernier

First to develop a classification of humans into distinct races; four quarters. Europeans, Far Easterners, Negroes, Lapps

Johann Blumenback

Defined five hierarchical racial categories; Caucasian, Mongolian, Malayan, Ethiopian, American. Based on craniometry

Pieter Camper

Conceived of the facial angle measurement as a tool to measure intelligence and justify racial differences.

Arthur de Gobineau

Essay on the Equality of the Human Races: Black, Human, Yellow, described as natural barriers. Influential to Nazi party of Germany

Carl Vogt

Believed the Negro race was related to the ape, and the white race was separate species

Samuel Morton

Collected human skulls, said he could judge intellectual capacity by measuring craniums

Craniometry

The study of the shape and form of human skulls

Polytypic species

Different populations vary in the presence, absence, and frequency of some traits. Most anthropologists reject the biological concept of race

subspecies

Humans to not have a this; recognizes a species can be divided into distinct types.

gene flow

Genes travel freely between species, not barred by genetic isolation

Julian Huxley

Coined Clinal variation, describes how a species’ traits such as body shape or color can vary continuously across a geographical area

Cline

A concept in biology used to describe gradual changes in a

biological trait across a geographic range. Result of selection and gene flow

C. Loring Brace

Observed that genotypic and phenotypic variations were affected by natural selection, migration, or genetic drift

continous variation

biological traits that show a smooth, gradual range of intermediate values between two extremes rather than distinct, separate categories

melanin

Skin color is determined by this

eumelanin

Black-brown color

pheomelanin

red-yellow color

dermis

Internal layer of the skin

epidermis

outermost layer of the skin

UVR

Ultra-violet rays; destroys folate

melanocytes

Embedded in the dermis and release melanin pigments into the epidermis

melanosomes

a specialized, membrane-bound organelle found in animal cells that acts as the primary site for the synthesis, storage, and transport of melanin

folate

an essential water-soluble B vitamin required for making DNA and RNA, dividing cells, and maturing red blood cells

neural tube defects

Happens when you don’t have enough folate; allows for normal sperm production, maintaining healthy eggs, and supports the fetus.

vitamin D

Can be acquired through sunlight, and dietary means

MC1R gene

Stimulates the production of eumelanin, virtually the same in African Populations

polymorphic

having, taking, or existing in many different forms; like human blood types

SLC24A5

Gene that emerged in European populations, leads to lighter skin tones