Lets talk evolutionary theory...

The history of evolutionary theory is laden with racism, colonialism, and conflicting theories. Evolutionary research has been subjected to the influences of western sociopolitical agendas, separating and devaluing the role the 'other' (Asia and Africa) had in human evolution. In the last half-century, though, it has taken a turn to recognize western involvement and influence and move to acknowledge and accept feminist archaeological theory. The locality of human origins was greatly affected by these notions; a narrative was created to set European culture above that of Asia and Africa. Asia was deemed as "irrational, stubborn, and alien," yet was placed above Africa. African people were described as "ape-like, savage, and barbaric," in need of "civilizing." Thus, civilization moved out of Asia and never existed in Africa. Although a switch was beginning to be made in the late 1900s, many conflicting theories arose, such as the Out of Africa model or the Multiregional Evolution model (Athreya). One theoretical framework that has stood out and been heavily critiqued is the Adaptationist Programme; this is based on functionalism (or adaptationism). Adaptationism being the Darwinian view that physical traits are evolved adaptations with which 'the programme' that describes the causes of these particular forms and functions. Several problems arise with this theoretical perspective:

1. If an adaptive argument fails, it is common for another to be tried rather than a different model.
2. With the tendency that the next model is a weaker version.
3. When an adaptive argument does not fit, it is often attributed to a lack of understanding of factors pertaining to the organism and not the model.
4. The adaptationist programme is favored over models that may be of a better fit. 

What methods are used to define species and taxon are also generally unique to a researcher based off of preference and viewpoints (i.e. Bauplan, which focuses on the constraints of evolution rather than the adaptations). As well as evolutionary forces, the darwinian route that favors natural selection or orthogenetic evolution. There are countless interpretations regarding phenotypic origins like the recapitulation theory or neoteny (Gould). Race and racism in anthropology have been muddled through the lens of colonialism to fit the sociopolotical agenda of the reigning generation. 

Athreya, Sheela, and Rebecca Ackermann. “Colonialism and Narratives of Human Origins in Asia and Africa.” 2018, doi:10.31730/osf.io/jtkn2.

Gould, S. J., and R. C. Lewontin. “The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm: a Critique of the Adaptationist Programme.” Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological Sciences, vol. 205, no. 1161, 1979, pp. 581–598., doi:10.1098/rspb.1979.0086.