The Economic and Political History Podcast
Our Obsession with Human Origins: Inventing Prehistory | Stefanos Geroulanos with Javier Mejia
May 25, 2024
Stefanos Geroulanos, Director of the Remark Institute and a professor at NYU, discusses his book 'The Invention of Prehistory.' He examines how Enlightenment thinkers shifted views on human origins, impacting notions of race and imperialism. The conversation delves into the allure of prehistory, the evolution of cultural hierarchies, and how Darwinism influenced political ideologies. Geroulanos also critiques historical narratives regarding Neanderthals, revealing how ideologies shape our understanding of identity in contemporary contexts.
58:03
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Quick takeaways
- Stefanos Geroulanos discusses how Enlightenment thinkers redefined human history, moving from religious to empirical interpretations that shaped Western thought and justified imperialism.
- The podcast examines the tendency of contemporary narratives about human origins to reflect present-day values, raising concerns about their historical accuracy and implications for our understanding of humanity.
Deep dives
The Evolution of Intellectual History
The discussion delves into the evolution of intellectual history, highlighting how the speaker's background in Greece and education in the U.S. shaped his interdisciplinary approach. Engaging with both historians and literary scholars allowed him to explore concepts beyond individual intellectuals, focusing instead on broader themes and networks of ideas. His previous works revolved around complex subjects such as anti-humanism and the understanding of human nature. This emphasis on interconnected concepts rather than isolated ideas defines his methodology in examining intellectual history.
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