Anti-Intellectualism and 'Race' in the 19th Century United States

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02929
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: History of Europe and America
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: OBARA Toyoshi 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 教授 (10243619)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 反知性主義 / 白人性 / 奴隷制擁護論 / 人民主権論 / 「ドアの反乱」 / 異人種間結婚

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to clarify the linkage between anti-intellectualism and whiteness by examining the discourse regarding slavery, popular sovereignty, and anti-miscegenation laws in the 19th century United Sates. In particular, this study focuses on the pro-slavery theories in the South, the American Enlightenment and its development, and the anti-black thought that backed up anti-miscegenation laws and considers the reasons why the people excluded the black people from all aspects of American life.
As a result, it is made clear that these discourses were strongly influenced by anti-intellectualism that claimed absolute equality in both religious and civil areas. But it is also made clear that they were profoundly affected by people’s consciousness that defined the scope of ‘people’ by race.

Free Research Field

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