UK professor stirs debate: Claims earth science has hidden colonial past
A geography professor at London university suggests geology studies contain racist elements from colonial times. Her controversial book links mining and resource extraction to historical white supremacy patterns
In a thought-provoking development at Queen Mary University of London Kathryn Yusoff presents an un-orthodox view of earth sciences. Her new book “Geologic Life“ suggests that geology isnt just about rocks - its deeply connected to colonial history
The professor (who describes herself as specialist in “inhuman geography“) points to resource-extraction practices from the 17th-19th centuries; claiming these activities helped create race-based power structures. She introduces terms like “pale-ontology“ to highlight what she sees as built-in biases in paleontology studies
Her work states that different racial groups have varying earth-connections: “black brown and indigenous people share a special ground-relationship thats different from white peoples perspective“. The book discusses how mining gold iron and other resources played into colonial-era dynamics - leading to what she calls “geotrauma“
The idea of de-colonizing science courses has spread across UK schools lately. However many experts dont agree with this view:
- Dr John Armstrong from Kings College says its anti-scientific
- Chris McGovan compares it to saying “fish n chips“ is racist
- Other academics worry about lowering education standards
The controversy highlights wider debates about how modern universities should teach traditional subjects. Critics note that land-use and mining (which Yusoff connects to racism) have been part of all human cultures since pre-historic times - like the ancient flint mines at Grimes Graves Norfolk
