ASA 115 001
7 July 2019
Thomas Teo's "The Historical Problematization of 'Mixed Race' in Psychological and Human-Scientific Discourses" discusses the problematization of 'mixed race' by breaking down the concept of 'mixed race' into several components of study -- biological, historical, psychological, empirical, and anthropological. Teo highlights the shortcomings in the ways that scientists have tried to explain mixed race and what this might mean for society, because much of the logic is based on an outdated (yet still practiced) idea of 'purity.' However, Teo mentions that he hopes that "the concept of hybridity contributes to the deconstruction of the concept of race by pointing out that a biracial person is not, for example, Black or White, but both, Black and White" (103). The idea that a multiracial person is not one over the other, but a culmination of their races is important, and a large part of the paradigm shift seen in the twenty first-century. Obviously there are still major shortcomings, like the desire for "hapa" babies and a fetishization of multiracial folks as "exotic" or "beautiful." These are things that are getting addressed and hopefully will be resolved.
Another emphasis that Teo appears to fiddle with in his piece is the idea of power that multiracial folks have in their existence, because there are cases of multiracial folks succeeding (perhaps to prove their worth or utilizing the privileges that they are allotted in their multi-faceted identity). This brought to my attention a novella I had read, Nella Larsen's Passing, which is about a biracial woman (half White, half Black), who uses her ability to pass as White to exist in her racially fraught society. There is power in being able to navigate such racial difficulties, and the kind of stress and relief that comes with using one's identity to survive. It is important to have discussions of race and as Teo writes "The Historical Problematization of 'Mixed Race,'" because we are ever evolving and learning from past mistakes like eugenics. We have to put ourselves in uncomfortable discussions to understand that this shouldn't have to happen and it shouldn't happen again.
I recommend reading Nella Larsen's Passing, and I have included the cover of the version I read:
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