Calling Hobbes a racist need not be anachronistic.

Evidence

Adrian Blau, in his introduction to the recent special issue of Hobbes Studies, and his own article titled “Thomas Hobbes in Racist Context” acknowledges fully the diHCDculty, yet rejects the view that it would necessarily be “anachronistic to call Hobbes a racist.” Two main reasons are proposed. Firstly, “racism has historically been not just biological but also theological, environmental and cultural.” Secondly, he also explains that “a form of biological racism was around in Hobbes’s day, as well as the language of race.” — , Stephanie B. Martens - Civilization and…, 17

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Hobbes’s exclusionary frame is cultural-historical civility rather than biological race — , Stephanie B. Martens - Civilization and…, 25; Racism should be analyzed as historically specific, not as a universal human structure. — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 68; Hobbes’s prejudice against Native Americans was civilizational rather than racial. — , Stephanie B. Martens - Civilization and…, 71 (+8 more)

Related

• Hobbes’s exclusionary frame is cultural-historical civility rather than biological race (similarity 0.91)
• Hobbes’s prejudice against Native Americans was civilizational rather than racial. (similarity 0.88)
• Hobbes read contemporary American tribes as living evidence of Europe’s own ancient past. (similarity 0.81)
• Classical biological racism has given way to multiple historically specific racisms (similarity 0.81)
• Hobbes promoted civility before the word civilization existed (similarity 0.80)
• Hobbes frames savages as deprived of arts rather than as hostile enemies. (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Hobbes’s prejudice against Native Americans was civilizational rather than racial. #exemplifies (0.92) — , Stephanie B. Martens - Civilization and…, 71
• Hobbes’s exclusionary frame is cultural-historical civility rather than biological race #expands (0.90) — , Stephanie B. Martens - Civilization and…, 25
• Cultural and biological racisms cannot be sharply separated discursively #complicates (0.85) — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 395
• Hobbes promoted civility before the word civilization existed #corroborates (0.82) — , Stephanie B. Martens - Civilization and…, 48
• Racism should be analyzed as historically specific, not as a universal human structure. #corroborates (0.80) — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 68
• Racism may not require presuming intrinsic inferiority of the other #qualifies (0.78) — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race, 64
• Hobbes defines enemies only negatively as non-subjects, including banished men #expands (0.78) — Gil Anidjar, The Jew, the Arab, 364
• Racism is transmitted through discourse, not innate #expands (0.75) — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 1055
• Belief in racial traits need not constitute racism unless it asserts hierarchy #qualifies (0.75) — David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race, 62
• Slavery narratives are racist whether they begin or end with Black inferiority. #contradicts (0.72) — Ibram X. Kendi, Stamped from the Beginning, 907
• Racism is a hegemonic practice that is articulated with, not necessary to, capitalist formations #expands (0.70)