Race and Reality

The concept of race has had a powerful impact on history and continues to shape the world today in profound ways. Most people derive their attitudes about race from their family, culture, and education. Very few, however, are aware that there are vast differences between the popular notions of race [...]
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The concept of race has had a powerful impact on history and continues to shape the world today in profound ways. Most people derive their attitudes about race from their family, culture, and education. Very few, however, are aware that there are vast differences between the popular notions of race and the scientific view of human diversity. Yet even among scientists, who understand the current evidence, there is great controversy regarding the definition of the term race or even the usefulness of thinking in terms of race at all. Drawing on research from diverse sources and interviews with key scientists, award-winning journalist Guy P Harrison surveys the current state of a volatile, important, and confusing subject. Harrison's thorough approach explores all sides of the issue, including such questions as these: If analysis of the human genome reveals that all human beings are 99.9 per cent alike, how meaningful are racial differences? Is the concept of race merely a cultural invention? If race distinctions are at least partially based in biological reality, how do we decide the number of races? Are there just three or maybe 3 million? What do studies of racial attitudes reveal?Are we all, in one way or another, racists? How does race correlate with environmental and geographical differences? Are race-based drugs a good idea? How does race influence intelligence, athletic ability, and love interests? Harrison delves into these and many more intriguing, controversial, and important questions in this enlightening book. After reading this book you will never think about race in the same way again.