The Inequality of Human Races (Classic Reprint) - Softcover

Arthur Gobineau

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9781332457243: The Inequality of Human Races (Classic Reprint)

Synopsis

Racial differences are presented as a permanent factor shaping history and civilization. This edition invites you to weigh the evidence and ideas that have influenced debates on race and progress.



The book surveys early theories of human varieties, tracing how different approaches to skull measurement and classification shaped ideas about race. It presents historical methods, compares researchers like Camper, Blumenbach, and Morton, and explains how these ideas were used to explain civilization, language, and culture. The aim is to illuminate a controversial topic with careful historical context while highlighting the limits and debates of such classifications.




  • Learn how 19th‑century scholars analyzed skull shapes and measurements as a way to classify human groups.

  • Explore the evolution of racial theories and their claims about intelligence, civilization, and culture.

  • See how competing methods tried to capture human diversity, including the pros and cons of different approaches.

  • Understand the broader discussion about race, environment, and the foundations of social hierarchy.



Ideal for readers interested in the historical development of racial thought and its impact on ideas about civilization and difference.


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About the Author

Joseph Arthur, Comte de Gobineau (1816-1882) was a French aristocrat, novelist and early ethnologist who set the academic standard for the development of racial science.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

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