Reading Hints
on
Edited excerpts from:
Racism : A Short History
by George M. Fredrickson

 

1) Notice that Fredrickson is NOT arguing here that racism is "hostile or negative feelings of one ethnic group or "people" toward another and the actions resulting from such attitudes." Instead, he is observing that some people use -- inaccurately -- the term "racism" in this fashion. Fredrickson thinks to use the term in this fashion is to use it sloppily. Read on, and Fredrickson will offer a more accurate way to define racism.

 

2) Keep in mind Fredrickson labels the attitude he describes in this paragraph as Xenophobia, which Fredrickson thinks is distinct from racism. Compare the attitude described in the previous paragraph (where Fredrickson describes racism) with the attitude in this paragraph -- what distinguishes the two attitudes?

 

3) Notice that Fredricson here is NOT providing a definition of racism; instead, he is describing two general components or characteristics of racism.

 

4) Notice that Fredrickson is arguing that racism -- rather than having always been around -- emerged at a particular time in Europe for a particular reason. Much of the rest of this reading explores why and how racism emerged in Europe at this period. The phrase "in Europe" is important here because as Fredrickson will demonstrate, racism appeared in other societies before it appeared in Europe.

5) Ask yourself why being "baptized rather than killed was a real option" is significant here for Fredrickson's distinction between racism and xenophobia? Look back to reading hint # 2 above if it's not immediately obvious to you. If you don't get yet comprehend this point, you are getting Fredrickson's central argument (and the paper will be impossibe to write).

6) By "Iberian colonies of the New World," Fredrickson means the colonies established in the North, Central, and South America by the mother countries located on the Iberian peninsula in Europe. He is not referring to those mother countries in Europe. Fredrickson discusses this xenophobia Europeans showed towards the native peoples in the Iberian colonies of the New World to emphasize the contrast with the racism Jews faced in Spain and Portugal. In short, according to Fredrickson, at this time natives faced xenophobia, while Jews faced racism.