Professor Says Earth Science Has Colonial History Problems

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A British academic has sparked controversy by claiming that geology, the study of Earth’s physical structure and substances, is inherently racist. Professor Kathryn Yusoff from Queen Mary University of London argues that this scientific field is deeply affected by colonial influences.

In her book “Geologic Life,” Yusoff, who specializes in “inhuman geography,” contends that geological practices, including mining and fossil studies, have perpetuated white supremacy. She even coined the term “pale-ontology” to highlight what she perceives as racial bias in paleontology.

London — A leftist geology professor at @QMULGeography @QMUL argues that the study of rocks & natural resources is white supremacist. Prof Kathryn Yusoff says geology is colonial & created hierarchies, destroyed environments & caused climate change. Read: https://t.co/guDPYXihfv

— Andy Ngo 🏳️‍🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) November 16, 2024

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The professor maintains that the extraction of minerals and metals has not only created social hierarchies and environmental destruction but has also contributed to climate change. She argues that geology “continues to function within a white supremacist praxis,” suggesting that land appropriation and mining activities have resulted in what she terms “geotrauma.”

Focusing on geological practices between the 17th and 19th centuries, Yusoff’s work proposes that non-white communities share a unique connection with the earth. She wrote, “Broadly, black, brown, and indigenous subjects… have an intimacy with the earth that is unknown to the structural position of whiteness.”

Geology and palaeontology are racist, apparently.

‘The study of the Earth’s rocks and natural resources is racist and linked to “white supremacy”, according to a geography professor at a leading UK university.
Kathryn Yusoff, an academic at Queen Mary University of London, said… pic.twitter.com/hCPEAAO5uN

— Puja Teli (@ThePujaTeli) November 16, 2024

However, her views have faced significant pushback. Chris McGovan, who heads the Campaign for Real Education, strongly disagrees with these assertions. “Geology is no more racist than ‘fish ‘n chips’! It is an entirely neutral term. Those seeking to decolonise the curriculum are, in fact, building their own sinister empire of thought-control and intolerance,” he stated. McGovan further emphasized that mining practices have existed throughout human history, regardless of race.