#119: Olfactory Racism & Slavery in the New World with Andrew Kettler

An Aromatic Life

In this episode, Frauke sits down with Professor Andrew Kettler to discuss the role smell played in the Atlantic slave trade of the 19th century. Prof. Kettler begins by defining olfactory racism, and then explains the ‘Anglo Atlantic Nose’ as the English departed for the New World. He defines important olfactory-focused concepts like “embodied knowledge”, ”miasma theory”, “false consciousness”, and “emotions of disgust.” Prof. Kettler explains the role of smell during the Middle Passage, the horrific “othering” of the African slave, the role dogs played olfactively, how the Civil War intensifies olfactory racism and makes it worse afterwards, and most importantly the role Capitalism plays in olfactory racism. He also gives the perspective of the ‘African Nose’ revealing how important smells were to the African resistance. Prof. Kettler then concludes by sharing what he knows to be true after writing this book, tells how we can apply the learnings to our lives today, and reveals what he’s working on next. This conversation will definitely leave an impression and will give you new perspectives that, as a society, we so desperately need.

Learn more about Professor Andrew Kettler and his work.

Read Professor Kettler’s book The Smell of Slavery: Olfactory Racism and the Atlantic World.

Read the book (free) A Sojourn in the City of Amalgamation

Read & listen to excerpts from The Federalist Writing Papers.

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