“种族”界定与美国对东南欧移民的排斥(1880—1924)

The Definition of "Race"and American Exclusionism Relating to Southeast European Immigrants(1880-1924)

19世纪末20世纪初,美国排斥东南欧移民语境中的"种族"定义,与我们通常理解的生物学上的"种族"定义不同,它关注的重点不是人的表象生物特征,而是基于种族主义意识形态之上的想象建构及意义诠释。这就使"种族"一词在美国与"自由"、"民主"、"平等"等抽象概念一样颇具弹性。根据这种"种族"定义,来自东南欧的移民属于低劣的"非白人"种族,如不对其进行限制,不但美国盎格鲁—撒克逊白人的血统将遭到污染,美国的自由与民主也将随之丧失。这一"他种族"建构,在所谓"科学"的支持下臻于顶峰,为美国社会排斥东南欧移民提供了有力的理论依据,而排外主义者与大众媒体的渲染则提供了广泛的公共支持,从而将美国的移民限制政策推向极端,以达到限制与排斥东南欧移民的目的。

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries,the definition of“race”in the context of American exclusion of Southeast European immigrants was not the same as the biological definition we are familiar with.It focused not on the representation of biologicll features but on imaginary constructs and interpretations based on a racist ideology.Ihis meant that in the US,“race,”like“freedom,”“democracy”and u equality”and other abstract concepts,was quite flexible.According to that definition,Southeast European immigrants belonged to inferior unon-white”breeds;failure to restrict their immigration would not only taint the blood of white Anglo-Saxons,but also destroy American freedom and democracy.Together with so-called"scientific support,”this offered a powerful theoretical basis for American exclusionism that attained a peak.Exclusionists and the mass media provided extensive public support,forcing US immigration restrictions to an extreme that would limit or exclude immigrants from Southeastern Europe.