Author Description

The victorian period saw an explosion of new sciences and theories seeking to explain the origin and development of the human being. The theory of evolution was studied and debated along with what was to become known as Social Darwinism, eugenics, miscegenation, hybridization etc. Scientists set out to analyse differences between human beings and to codify what was then known as human “races”. People, some local like Joseph Carey Merrick, others exotic like Saartje Baartman, were exhibited for “scientifi c” purposes in circuses, zoos or during conferences. Expeditions were sent to far off lands to fi nd the “missing link” and foremost among philosophical preoccupations of the time was the question of defi ning the norm. Some of these theories emerging at the time were to echo through the 20th century and lead, among other things, to Nazi racial theories and the racial justifi cation of apartheid. The objective here is to examine the genesis of such theories, the rhetoric brought into play to justify them, and ways in which people reacted to them. The geographical area for the present issue is Great Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth. La période victorienne a été témoin de l’émergence de nouvelles sciences dont le but était d’ expliquer l’origine et le développement des êtres humains. La théorie de l’évolution fut étudiée et débattue ainsi que le « darwinisme social », l’ eugénisme, la miscégénation, l’hybridation etc. Les scientifiques tentèrent de marquer les différences entre les êtres humains et de codifier ce que l’on appelait alors des « races ». Des êtres furent montrés au public sous des prétextes scientifiques comme le célèbre « Elephant Man » ou la soit disant « Venus Hottentote ». Des expéditions furent envoyées dans des contrées lointaines afin de trouver le non moins fameux « chaînon manquant » afin d’essayer d’établir une norme dans la classification des hommes. Les idées nazies et à la justification raciale de l’apartheid furent l’abouti