Final answer:
Audrey Smedley's central claim is that race is a social construct without biological basis, supported by postmodernism and scientific understanding. Genetic evidence shows the arbitrary nature of racial categories, while history and social practices have entrenched race in societal structures despite its lack of scientific validity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Central Claim of Audrey Smedley's 'Origin of the Idea of Race'
Audrey Smedley's central claim regarding the origin of the idea of race posits that race is a socially constructed concept with no inherent biological basis. She argues that the classification system of race was invented for societal purposes rather than reflecting any deep, biologically determined realities. Smedley's perspective is supported by postmodernist viewpoints which suggest that race as a social construct has evolved over time, influenced by factors such as colonialism, slavery, and discrimination.
Postmodernism has highlighted the idea that race is not biologically identifiable and that racial categories have been historically used to justify oppressive practices. Intelligence, for example, was once falsely attributed to genetic racial differences, a claim that has been refuted by subsequent research showing higher IQ scores following increased access to education among Black populations.
Moreover, anthropologists and geneticists assess that the concept of race lacks scientific validity. Considering that racial categorizations are made based on a mere handful of genetic markers out of thousands, such classifications are arbitrary and could be entirely different if based on other characteristics such as fingerprint patterns or blood types.
Geographers also contribute to the understanding of race, with the notion that 'space makes race.' This reflects the historical development of racial and ethnic categories as societies spread and diverged globally. In the United States, the concept of race has been heavily influenced by the slave economy and subsequent legal systems, which utilized racial categories as identifiers for legal and societal purposes.
Therefore, while race does not exist as a biological reality, it persists in social systems and institutions. The classification of humans based on race is increasingly seen as an outdated and misleading framework that can result in harm, such as medical misdiagnoses, and that a focus on ancestry may be more scientifically valid and useful for understanding human diversity.