Hamitism

/ˈhæmɪˌtɪzəm/ noun

Definition

A historical racial and linguistic classification system based on the assumed descent of certain peoples from the Biblical Ham.

Etymology

From 'Hamite' plus '-ism' (a system, belief, or ideology). Reflects 19th-century attempts to create comprehensive racial and genealogical taxonomies.

Kelly Says

Hamitism is a cautionary tale in science—what seemed like rigorous scholarly classification was actually circular reasoning built on racist assumptions, ultimately disproven by modern genetics and linguistics.

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