Race and citizen identity in the classical Athenian democracy

"In Race and Citizen Identity in the Classical Athenian Democracy, Susan Lape demonstrates how a racial ideology grounded citizen identity. Although this ideology did not manifest itself in a fully developed race myth, its study offers insight into the causes and conditions that can give rise to race and racisms in both modern and pre-modern cultures. In the Athenian context, racial citizenship emerged because it both identified who the citizens were and explained why they deserved to share in the goods of citizenship." "By investigating Athenian law, drama, and citizenship practices, this study shows how racial citizenship worked in practice to consolidate national unity and to account for past Athenian achievements. It also considers how Athenian identity narratives fueled Herodotus' and Thucydides' understanding of history and causation."--Jacket.

Year

2010

Language

English

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Editions

1

Pages

341

ISBN

9780521191043

Data source: Wikidata