How to Argue With a Racist: History, Science, Race and Reality - Hardcover

Rutherford, Adam

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1474611249 ISBN 13: 9781474611244

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2020

Synopsis

AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK --- THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'Seriously important' BILL BRYSON
'A book that could save lives' SPECTATOR
'An enthralling, illuminating book' MAIL ON SUNDAY
'The ultimate anti-racism guide' CAROLINE CRIADO PEREZ
'A fascinating debunking of racial pseudoscience' GUARDIAN

Race is real because we perceive it. Racism is real because we enact it. But the appeal to science to strengthen racist ideologies is on the rise - and increasingly part of the public discourse on politics, migration, education, sport and intelligence. Stereotypes and myths about race are expressed not just by overt racists, but also by well-intentioned people whose experience and cultural baggage steer them towards views that are not supported by the modern study of human genetics. Even some scientists are uncomfortable expressing opinions deriving from their research where it relates to race. Yet, if understood correctly, science and history can be powerful allies against racism, granting the clearest view of how people actually are, rather than how we judge them to be.

HOW TO ARGUE WITH A RACIST is a vital manifesto for a twenty-first century understanding of human evolution and variation, and a timely weapon against the misuse of science to justify bigotry.

About this title

About the Author

Dr Adam Rutherford is a scientist, writer and broadcaster. He has written and presented award-winning series and programmes for the BBC, including Radio 4's Inside Science and The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry with Dr Hannah Fry. He is the author Creation, shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust Prize, A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, The Book of Humans, the Sunday Times bestselling How to Argue With a Racist and the co-author of Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged).

From the Back Cover

Race is real because we perceive it. Racism is real because we enact it. But the appeal to science to strengthen racist ideologies is on the rise - and increasingly part of the public discourse on politics, migration, education, sport and intelligence. Stereotypes and myths about race are expressed not just by overt racists, but also by well-intentioned people whose experience and cultural baggage steer them towards views that are not supported by the modern study of human genetics. Even some scientists are uncomfortable expressing opinions deriving from their research where it relates to race. Yet, if understood correctly, science and history can be powerful allies against racism, granting the clearest view of how people actually are, rather than how we judge them to be.

Edition details

• Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
• Publication date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1474611249
• ISBN 13: 9781474611244
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224