The Culture of Prejudice

Abstract

Abstract This chapter covers prejudice in its various forms, from the side of culture—history, literature, religion (including theology), philosophy, and more—drawing on causal hypotheses based on thinking about in-group versus out-group demands. The aim is to try to identify similarities and differences in our attitudes, friendly or otherwise, towards outsiders. Building on the Darwinian-grounded scientific treatment of chapter 2, particularly about the selective factors operative when we were hunter-gatherers, now pushed sideways by the coming of agriculture, topics covered include foreigners, immigrants, class, race (including slavery), sexual orientation, religion, disability, Jews, and women. It is shown that although each topic has its own particular issues, there are common threads running through all cases of prejudice.