Science and Ethnicity: The Concept of ‘Race’ in Romanian Anthropology during the Interwar Period

Marius Turda (Oxford Brookes University)

The close relationship between science and ethnicity was one of the main factors contributing to the emergence and development of Romanian anthropology during the interwar period. Romanian anthropologists, similar to their counterparts in Europe and the USA, used the anthropological concept of 'race' to explain physical and mental characteristics of not only  individuals but also various ethnic groups living in Romania at the time. From our vantage point, their methodology and vocabulary seem outdated, xenophobic and even racist. Their use of the concept of 'race' is unacceptable today, but that should not hinder our attempt to understand the importance of  their research not only for the history of Romanian anthropology, but also for the broader debate on Romanian national identity. In this talk, I will discuss the racial terminology employed by Romanian anthropologists, reaffirming the need to understand anthropological research during the interwar period in relation to its historical context and to its object of study: the Romanian nation.

Event organised together with the  “Francisc I. Rainer” Institute of Anthropology of the Romanian Academy.