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George Montandon, the Ainu and the Theory of Hologenesis

Hennessey, John LU orcid (2024) In Science in Context 35(2). p.133-151
Abstract
In 1909, Italian zoologist Daniele Rosa proposed a radical new evolutionary theory: hologenesis, or simultaneous, pan-terrestrial creation and evolution driven primarily by internal factors. Hologenesis was widely ignored or rejected outside Italy, but Swiss-French anthropologist George Montandon eagerly embraced and developed the theory. An ambitious careerist, Montandon’s deep investment in an obscure and unpopular theory is puzzling. Today, Montandon is best known for his virulent antisemitism and active collaboration with the Nazi occupation of France at the end of his career. By that point, however, he had quietly moved away from hologenesis, a shift that has gone unnoticed or been left unexplained in existing research. This article... (More)
In 1909, Italian zoologist Daniele Rosa proposed a radical new evolutionary theory: hologenesis, or simultaneous, pan-terrestrial creation and evolution driven primarily by internal factors. Hologenesis was widely ignored or rejected outside Italy, but Swiss-French anthropologist George Montandon eagerly embraced and developed the theory. An ambitious careerist, Montandon’s deep investment in an obscure and unpopular theory is puzzling. Today, Montandon is best known for his virulent antisemitism and active collaboration with the Nazi occupation of France at the end of his career. By that point, however, he had quietly moved away from hologenesis, a shift that has gone unnoticed or been left unexplained in existing research. This article reexamines Montandon’s theoretical outlook and reasons for championing Rosa’s forgotten theory. It argues that while Montandon’s adoption of hologenesis arose from a complex blend of scientific and personal factors, his previously overlooked early fieldwork with the Ainu played a key role. In contrast, hologenesis did not inform Montandon’s later public antisemitism. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
George Montandon, scientific racism, hologenesis, history of evolutionary theories, history of science, antisemitism, Ainu
in
Science in Context
volume
35
issue
2
pages
19 pages
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85180333275
  • pmid:38108155
ISSN
0269-8897
DOI
10.1017/S0269889723000157
project
Anomalous Aryans? Western Scientific Racism and the Ainu as a “Lost White Race,” 1868-1941
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
80c74279-0b4a-419c-a750-2fa94066da84
date added to LUP
2022-03-25 17:51:42
date last changed
2024-06-21 03:10:12
@article{80c74279-0b4a-419c-a750-2fa94066da84,
  abstract     = {{In 1909, Italian zoologist Daniele Rosa proposed a radical new evolutionary theory: hologenesis, or simultaneous, pan-terrestrial creation and evolution driven primarily by internal factors. Hologenesis was widely ignored or rejected outside Italy, but Swiss-French anthropologist George Montandon eagerly embraced and developed the theory. An ambitious careerist, Montandon’s deep investment in an obscure and unpopular theory is puzzling. Today, Montandon is best known for his virulent antisemitism and active collaboration with the Nazi occupation of France at the end of his career. By that point, however, he had quietly moved away from hologenesis, a shift that has gone unnoticed or been left unexplained in existing research. This article reexamines Montandon’s theoretical outlook and reasons for championing Rosa’s forgotten theory. It argues that while Montandon’s adoption of hologenesis arose from a complex blend of scientific and personal factors, his previously overlooked early fieldwork with the Ainu played a key role. In contrast, hologenesis did not inform Montandon’s later public antisemitism.}},
  author       = {{Hennessey, John}},
  issn         = {{0269-8897}},
  keywords     = {{George Montandon; scientific racism; hologenesis; history of evolutionary theories; history of science; antisemitism; Ainu}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{133--151}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{Science in Context}},
  title        = {{George Montandon, the Ainu and the Theory of Hologenesis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0269889723000157}},
  doi          = {{10.1017/S0269889723000157}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}