Images of Savages

Ancient Roots of Modern Prejudice in Western Culture

Nonfiction, Health & Well Being, Psychology
Cover of the book Images of Savages by Gustav Jahoda, Taylor and Francis
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Gustav Jahoda ISBN: 9781317724902
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Publication: October 3, 2018
Imprint: Routledge Language: English
Author: Gustav Jahoda
ISBN: 9781317724902
Publisher: Taylor and Francis
Publication: October 3, 2018
Imprint: Routledge
Language: English

In Images of Savages, the distinguished psychologist Gustav Jahoda advances the provocative thesis that racism and the perpetual alienation of a racialized 'other' are a central leagacy of the Western tradition. Finding the roots of these demonizations deep in the myth and traditions of classical antiquity, he examines how the monstrous humanoid creatures of ancient myth and the fabulous "wild men" of the medieval European woods shaped early modern explorers' interpretations of the New World they encountered. Drawing on a global scale the schematic of the Western imagination of its "others," Jahoda locates the persistent identification of the racialized other with cannibalism, sexual abandon and animal drives. Turning to Europe's scientific tradition, Jahoda traces this imagery through the work of 18th century scientists on the relationship between humans and apes, the new racist biology of the 19th century studies of "savagery" as an arrested evolutionary state, and the assignment, especially of blacks, to a status intermediate between humans and animals, or that of children in need of paternal protection from Western masters. Finding in these traditional tropes a central influence upon the most current psychological theory, Jahoda presents a startling historical continuity of racial figuration that persists right up to the present day. Far from suggesting a program for the eradication of racial stereotypes, this remarkable effort nevertheless isolates the most significant barriers to equality buried deep within the Western tradition, and proposes a potentially redemptive self-awareness that will contribute to the gradual dismantling of racial injustice and alienation. Gustav Jahoda demonstrates how deeply rooted Western perceptions going back more than a thousand years are still feeding racial prejudice today.
This highly original socio-historical contextualisation will be invaluable to scholars of psychology, sociology and anthropology, and to all those interested in the sources of racial prejudice.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In Images of Savages, the distinguished psychologist Gustav Jahoda advances the provocative thesis that racism and the perpetual alienation of a racialized 'other' are a central leagacy of the Western tradition. Finding the roots of these demonizations deep in the myth and traditions of classical antiquity, he examines how the monstrous humanoid creatures of ancient myth and the fabulous "wild men" of the medieval European woods shaped early modern explorers' interpretations of the New World they encountered. Drawing on a global scale the schematic of the Western imagination of its "others," Jahoda locates the persistent identification of the racialized other with cannibalism, sexual abandon and animal drives. Turning to Europe's scientific tradition, Jahoda traces this imagery through the work of 18th century scientists on the relationship between humans and apes, the new racist biology of the 19th century studies of "savagery" as an arrested evolutionary state, and the assignment, especially of blacks, to a status intermediate between humans and animals, or that of children in need of paternal protection from Western masters. Finding in these traditional tropes a central influence upon the most current psychological theory, Jahoda presents a startling historical continuity of racial figuration that persists right up to the present day. Far from suggesting a program for the eradication of racial stereotypes, this remarkable effort nevertheless isolates the most significant barriers to equality buried deep within the Western tradition, and proposes a potentially redemptive self-awareness that will contribute to the gradual dismantling of racial injustice and alienation. Gustav Jahoda demonstrates how deeply rooted Western perceptions going back more than a thousand years are still feeding racial prejudice today.
This highly original socio-historical contextualisation will be invaluable to scholars of psychology, sociology and anthropology, and to all those interested in the sources of racial prejudice.

More books from Taylor and Francis

Cover of the book Spanish National Cinema by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Transformational Leadership and Not for Profits and Social Enterprises by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Cruelty and Civilization by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book On Reading Books to Children by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Essentials of Performance Analysis in Sport by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Disabled Children by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book The Formation of School Subjects by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Modeling Minority Women by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Adaptation and Appropriation by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book What's Fair? by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book The Early Stuart Kings, 1603-1642 by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book African Agency in International Politics by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Critical Theories, IR and 'the Anti-Globalisation Movement' by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book International Intervention, Identity and Conflict Transformation by Gustav Jahoda
Cover of the book Financing Public Schools by Gustav Jahoda
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy