Penser, classer, exclure. Origine du racisme biologique

Abstract

Biological racism is a result of a match between a concept diverted from its original meaning – race –, and a science – biology. In the 19th century, from one stage to the other – transformism, evolutionism, genetics – biology deals with the living. The classification of humans according to races precedes a racist drifting, which takes form in the social Darwinism calling for the process of elimination of the inferior races. Grafting racism on biology, which initiates a process of exclusion of individuals or human groups, takes place in Europe during four decades (from 1870 to 1910) : eugenism in England and in France, racial hygiene in Germany.