CSP 75 Color of Humanity

Try to imagine what it would have been like to arrive on the shores of the Americas in 1492 and genuinely wonder, 'Are these dark, two-legged creatures really human, or are they sophisticated animals that only resemble human beings?' Looking back, it's impossible not to be offended by the suggestion that the indigenous peoples of the Americas were not human beings, or not fully human, but as we'll learn, the history of dehumanization is subtle, powerful, and alive today. It is the story of race and racism, genocide and slavery, "civilization" and barbarism, conquest and colonialism, citizenship, slavery, prisons, and police brutality. And it is an American story. Focusing on the Latin American case, we will study the origins of this story, look closely at the so-called "Indian problem", test theories about what it means to be human before condemning them, and see whether we can say something meaningful about what's special about being human without implying that some humans are superior and others inferior.