Othering Processes and STS Curricula: From Nineteenth Century Scientific Discourse on Interracial Competition and Racial Extinction to Othering in Biomedical Technosciences |
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Authors: | Juan Manuel Sánchez Arteaga and Charbel N El-Hani |
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Institution: | (1) Group of American Studies, Institute of History, Center of Human and Social Sciences, CSIC, C/Albasanz, 26-28, Despacho 2E-37, 28037 Madrid, Spain;(2) History, Philosophy, and Biology Teaching Laboratory, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Bahia, Rua Bar?o de Jeremoabo, s/n, Ondina, ZIP: 40170-115, Salvador, BA, Brazil |
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Abstract: | This paper analyzes the debates on “interracial competition” and “racial extinction” in the biological discourse on human
evolution during the second half of the nineteenth century. Our intention is to discuss the ideological function of these
biological concepts as tools for the naturalization and scientific legitimation of racial hierarchies during that period.
We argue that the examination of these scientific discussions about race from a historical perspective can play the role of
a critical platform for students and teachers to think about the role of science in current othering processes, such as those
related to biomedical technosciences. If they learn how biological ideas played an ideological function concerning interracial
relationships in the past, they can be compelled to ask which ideological functions the biological knowledge they are teaching
and learning might play now. If this is properly balanced, they can eventually both value scientific knowledge for its contributions
and have a critical appraisal of some of its implications. We propose, here, a number of initial design principles for the
construction of teaching sequences about scientific racism and science-technology-society relationships, yet to be empirically
tested by iterative cycles of implementation in basic education and teacher education classrooms. |
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