This article is part of an international forum on raceand racism published by the Journal of Anthropological Sciences and edited by Alan Goodman of the New Hampshire College (USA). The paper presents an overview of the use and meaning of the term "human race" among Italian scholars, both on the biological and cultural side, in a historical perspective. The theme is also contextualized with respect to political and social current events.
On July 14 of 1938, ten Italian scientists undersigned the “Manifesto della razza” - an emblematic example of the connections between ideology, race and racism - which paved the way for the laws directed against the rights of people of Jewish origin. Eighty years on, racism continues to poison Italian society. Our country is seeing a surge of intolerance and violence against migrants, while antisemitism is still alive and kicking and anti-Roma and anti-Muslim feelings have become more widespread in our country than in other European countries.
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