배제의 논리로서 ‘인종주의’의 역사적 기원: 고대세계에서 문화적 정체성의 차이와 노예의 조건에 대한 인식

Abstract

What is Racism? Whatever it is the proto-racism in antiquity, the racism in 19th century or the neo-racism in 20th century, all is related to the perspective on the group excluded from the community, or expelled out of the boundary. This perspective is made by the alterity which is formed by the perception of differences. In Ancient Greek, Isocrates considered the Hellenes as a cultural community and in the Roman Empire, a black emperor and white slaves coexisted together. These show that racial politic, based on skin color, is the products of modern period, and that the cultural difference is more important criteria for the order of rank than any others points. Though there is a big difference between Ancient Greek, Roman Empire and Modern Society, these aspects observable in antiquity are connected with the questions of neo- racism which has evolved in modern society. Transcending time and space, the Culture is the most important crieria for alterity. It means that the logic of racism and that of nationalism has the same historical origin and that the social crisis caused from the neo- racism is not a exceptional phenomenon in human history.