I contend that the slavery image, with reference to the unpleasant, primeval and continuing human practice appropriately describes the behaviour(s) observed in slave-making ants. The behavioral syndromes are almost certainly sociobiologically equivalent in the human and non-human species involved. The word “slavery”, with its equivalents in other modern languages, has a long, unchallenged tradition in both anthropology and myrmecology. Use of the Latin “dulosis”, which has identical meaning, is a well-established available myrmecological option. The proposed “pirate” image is much less precisely descriptive (pirates by hystoric definition are seafarer – including early pirate broadcasters). Yes, Darwin used ant/slavery terminology. He also wrote, after his youthful “Beagle” visit to S. America, “I thank God that I shall never again visit a slave country”, and actively opposed slavery throughout his life.
The author’s arguments for change are unconvincing. They refer to the complaints of anonymous non-myrmecological auditors at lectures, etc.; a throw-away critical remark by a student of human slave narratives who was probably neither aware of, nor interested in, the strength of the myrmecological comparison; and unquoted general linguistic comments about “American literature” in the writings of Toni Morrison.
It is spuriously suggested that the word “slavery” is myrmecologically inappropriate because ant slaves cannot breed (as is usual among worker ants!) and are not sold on (since ants have no commerce).
Finally there is the strangely Americentric (and unsubstantiated) claim that non-white students are specifically repelled from biological studies by such imagery; with the equally peculiar extension that this frustrates the “struggle” (where is the evidence for such a struggle?) by “my discipline” (presumable “American biological science”) to attract “students of color” (are pink and white not colours?). These matters are problems of American history, society and education, and of little relevance to even the most sympathetic non-Americans. Talented Americans descended from slaves have evidently preferred to illuminate Literature, Music, the Theatre, the Humanities, the Law, the Arena and Politics, despite the ostensibly loaded language of all these pursuits. Should the myrmecological world change in response to an ill-perceived, specifically American semantic difficulty?

Robert W. Taylor
14 Feb. 2007