George Montandon, the Ainu and the Theory of Hologenesis
(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)
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https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/80c74279-0b4a-419c-a750-2fa94066da84
- author
- Hennessey, John LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024-02-15
- 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}}, }