Human Variation: Races, Types, and Ethnic Groups - Softcover

Molnar, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0134461622 ISBN 13: 9780134461625

Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div, 1991

Synopsis

Discarding the concept of race as misleading, this book examines the biological basis for human variation and biological diversity at the population level—appropriate because of the many ways in which humans can adapt to environments, organize activities, and regulate breeding behavior. It reviews the history, behavior, and demographic structure of contemporary populations, and their effects on the distribution of major genetic polymorphisms and distinctions of body form, size, and skin color. Chapter topics include racial variation and the perception of human differences, the biological basis for human variation, traits of simple inheritance, hemoglobin variants and DNA markers, traits of complex inheritance, distribution of human differences, human variability and behavior, and changing dimensions of the human species. For individuals interested in genetic science—and the recent significant achievements in this field.

About this title

From the Publisher

This volume examines the range of human biological diversity in contemporary populations, and discusses and evaluates past attempts to classify and explain human variation in the light of recent data and theoretical interpretations.

From the Back Cover

Discarding race as misleading, Human Variation: Races, Types, and Ethnic Groups examines the biology of human variation at the population level. It argues that diversity is a reflection of humans' ability to adapt to environments, organize activities, and regulate breeding behavior. This book reviews the history, behavior, and demography of contemporary populations and the distribution of major distinctions of body form, size, and skin color. The book traces the concept of race and analyzes faulty perceptions of human differences and issues of racism on assumed inherited inequality. It incorporates the latest DNA technology into a discussion of genetic markers including their adaptive significance. It also reviews ongoing evolution. The fourth edition of Human Variation: Races, Types, and Ethnic Groups has been revised to include a reorganization of chapters to unite discussions of inherited traits with explanations of their adaptive significance. The book also includes the latest data and a glossary of the latest terminology. A valuable reference book for any reader interested in the biological diversity of the human species.

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div
• Publication date: 1991
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0134461622
• ISBN 13: 9780134461625
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 445