Leiden University Student Repository

Cassimo, Josefa (2025)

Naming the Other: Race, Language, and Black Identity in 18th-Century Germany

Research master thesis | History (research) (MA)

This thesis examines the history and functions of the terms “Mohr” and “Neger” in Germanspeaking regions during the long eighteenth century. Using a dual analytical approach, it explores both the semantic development of these terms in scholarly, economic, and cultural contexts and their influence on the formation of Black identity. Drawing on a variety of sources, including lexica, court records, sermons, baptismal registers, newspapers, and private correspondence, the analysis shows how language both mirrored and helped create racial realities. It demonstrates how these terms shaped identities by placing Black individuals within systems of dependency, servitude, and commodification, while limiting their agency. By situating Germanspeaking lands within Atlantic and global contexts, the study challenges narratives that see Central Europe as a marginal player in racialization processes, highlighting its active role in shaping modern racial ideas. Ultimately, the research underscores...Show moreThis thesis examines the history and functions of the terms “Mohr” and “Neger” in Germanspeaking regions during the long eighteenth century. Using a dual analytical approach, it explores both the semantic development of these terms in scholarly, economic, and cultural contexts and their influence on the formation of Black identity. Drawing on a variety of sources, including lexica, court records, sermons, baptismal registers, newspapers, and private correspondence, the analysis shows how language both mirrored and helped create racial realities. It demonstrates how these terms shaped identities by placing Black individuals within systems of dependency, servitude, and commodification, while limiting their agency. By situating Germanspeaking lands within Atlantic and global contexts, the study challenges narratives that see Central Europe as a marginal player in racialization processes, highlighting its active role in shaping modern racial ideas. Ultimately, the research underscores how language not only reflects but also actively constructs racialized realities, embedding structural violence within seemingly neutral terminology.Show less

Atlantic History

Linguistic History, Racialization

18th century

Author

Cassimo, Josefa

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Supervisors

Antunes, C.

ECTS Credits

30

Language

en