What is Equity and Difference

This chapter delves into the profound impact of Friedrich Blumenbach's pioneering work as a “racial geometer” in the realm of physical anthropology and its complex historical legacy. Blumenbach's meticulous measurements and classifications of human skulls, which formed the bedrock of his racial taxonomy, are explored in detail. However, his approach has ignited debates and criticism, with scholars contending that it perpetuated Eurocentric perspectives and served colonial agendas. Sujatha Fernandes, among others, places Blumenbach's work within a broader context of colonialism and its efforts to establish racial hierarchies. This chapter further discusses how Blumenbach's legacy is intertwined with the troubling history of scientific racism, exemplified by figures like Gobineau and Linnaeus. Despite these controversies, subsequent scholars like Franz Boas and George M. Fredrickson challenged scientific racism, emphasizing cultural factors, and highlighting the subjective nature of racial classifications.