Racism has primitive evolutionary origin

A team of social anthropologists working at the University of Solopysky believe that they have pieced together enough developmental evidence to show that there is a clear behavioural timeline from animal behaviour through primitive behavioural patterns and on into the modern day.

Discussing their findings, which are due to be published next month, Dr Jesenic explained: "In previous studies racial discrimination and racially inspired hatred have been examined from the standpoint of cause and effect: looking more at the implications or consequences in order to find solutions. Very little research has seriously examined what it is that the racist is feeling toward the object of his or her discriminatory antipathy. What we found was that they were not thinking objectively at all and that their behaviour was typical of the most primitive emotional responses – in a way, they do not dislike the other person for any specific reason – which in turn led us to suspect that racism is predominantly instinctual."

Dr Jesenic added; "We now believe that there are strong territorial and tribal underpinnings for this racist instinct. If you like, it is an attenuated example of an animal marking its territory: in the tribal setting – which is effectively what we are talking about here – it has evolved into the process of unifying the tribe by alienating those who do not belong to that same tribe. In other words, the identity and worth of the tribe is reinforced by denigrating the value of everyone else. The choosing of a race or nationality to hate is a post-rationalisation of this primitive impulse."

Dr Jesenic also said that they were interested in trying to link their work to recent medical research carried out at the University Hospital Las Cabras. Although of a highly speculative nature, researchers there are convinced of the existence of a hitherto unknown endocrine gland that they are calling the odiosal gland. Just as the adrenal gland releases adrenaline into the blood stream, so, they postulate, the odiosal gland releases odium into the blood stream. The reason, they say, this gland has gone unnoticed for so long is that in the majority of persons the gland is atrophied or not present. However, in persons with a more primitive physiognomy, it can be fully developed. "We are not saying that the racist cannot help himself," emphasised Dr Jesenic, "but their more primitive morphology may be strongly influencing their behaviour."