Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
2-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Program
Liberal Studies
Advisor
Amber Musser
Subject Categories
American Studies | Epistemology | Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies | Feminist Philosophy | History of Gender | History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Intellectual History | Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies | Philosophy of Language | Philosophy of Science | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Women's Studies
Keywords
sex, gender, race, science, humanism, colonialism
Abstract
This thesis synthesizes Sylvia Wynter’s and Judith Butler’s models of identity-formation to analyze discourses of racialization and sex/gender difference in normative scientific theories of “the human.” I argue that eugenicist white supremacism and sex/gender normativity form a single conceptual framework – what I call “the racial-sexual matrix” – throughout these scientific narratives. I then trace an epistemological consistency across 18th- through 21st-century scientific literature as evidence for the ongoing legacies of coloniality, white supremacy, and eugenics in current hegemonic sex/gender ontologies. Finally, I contend that the racial-sexual matrix functions as an index of proper humanness not only in scientific narratives, but also in the liberal humanist discourses that shape mainstream institutional approaches to sex/gender issues.
Recommended Citation
Brand, Jeri, "Racial-Sexual Normativity in/as Narratives of “the Human”" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5640
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Included in
American Studies Commons, Epistemology Commons, Feminist Philosophy Commons, History of Gender Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, Intellectual History Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons, Philosophy of Language Commons, Philosophy of Science Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons, Women's Studies Commons