Podcast Summary
The Persistence of Race Science: Angela Saini's book 'Superior' explores the deep history of race science, revealing its harmful impact and how it continues to influence research in fields like genetics and genomics, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and inequalities.
The disturbing practice of race science, which has its roots in the eugenics movement, continues to persist in medical and scientific research today, despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting the belief in biologically distinct races. In her book "Superior," award-winning science journalist Angela Saini explores the deep history of race science, revealing how racial categories were constructed and examining their harmful impact, particularly in justifying slavery, colonization, and discriminatory policies. Saini exposes how race science has been repackaged and continues to influence research in fields such as genetics and genomics, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and inequalities. It's a compelling and essential read that sheds light on the insidious ways race science continues to shape our society.
The role of science in perpetuating racial hierarchies: Throughout history, scientific theories about race have influenced and perpetuated harmful racial hierarchies, which continue to impact society today.
The belief in racial hierarchy, which has been a part of the history of race science, has deeply influenced the way we perceive and categorize different races. The author's personal experiences with racism growing up in London during the 1980s and 1990s, coupled with his background in journalism and anti-racism activism, led him to write a book exploring the role of science in perpetuating racial hierarchies. He explains that the concept of race emerged during the development of modern Western science in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, a time of imperialism and the transatlantic slave trade. This period saw the growth of disciplines like systematics and anthropology, which deepened racial categories and reinforced the idea of racial hierarchy. Despite the progress made since then, the author notes that pseudoscientific ideas about race continue to influence and be co-opted by the far right, as seen in the rise of ethnic nationalism and populism.
European Enlightenment and the Institution of Slavery Shaped Scientific Understanding of Human Difference: The European Enlightenment's limited understanding of human variation led to the creation of racial hierarchies, with harmful impacts on science and society that continue today. It's essential to critically examine and challenge these beliefs for a more accurate and equitable understanding of human difference.
The development of scientific understanding of human difference was significantly influenced by political realities, particularly the institution of slavery. During the European Enlightenment, naturalists sought to codify and taxonomize the natural world, including humans. However, their understanding of human variation was limited, and they often relied on myths, legends, and political hierarchies to inform their beliefs. This led to the creation of racial hierarchies, with whiteness being elevated as superior and blackness being associated with subservience and slavery. These beliefs were deeply ingrained in the Western scientific establishment by the 19th century, leading to pseudo-scientific claims justifying slavery and colonialism. The legacy of these mistakes continues to impact our understanding of human difference today, and it's crucial to continually interrogate and challenge these beliefs to promote a more accurate and equitable science.
Reevaluating Neanderthals' image: Recent discoveries of Neanderthal ancestry in Europeans led to a reevaluation of their intelligence and humanity, but historical context and potential biases must be acknowledged.
The perception of Neanderthals as a primitive and extinct species with negative connotations has undergone a significant transformation in recent decades. This shift began when it was discovered that many Europeans have Neanderthal ancestry, leading to a reevaluation of their intelligence and humanity. However, it's important to note that this rehabilitation of Neanderthal image came at a time when indigenous communities were being marginalized and their humanity was being questioned based on their race. The comparison between Neanderthals and indigenous people was a product of a racist taxonomy that saw certain groups as inferior and doomed to extinction. While scientists today deny any racialized or racist intent in their studies of Neanderthals, it's hard not to see the parallels between the way Neanderthals were perceived and the way certain living communities continue to be viewed. It's crucial to acknowledge the historical context and the potential biases that continue to shape our understanding of human history.
Misconceptions about racial differences and genetics: Genetics does not support distinct 'black genes' or 'white genes.' Humanity is genetically more homogeneous than many other species. Population genetics research can be valuable but must consider historical context, including eugenics.
The idea of racial differences being reinforced by genetic associations with ancient populations, such as Neanderthals, is a misconception. Humanity is genetically more homogeneous than many other species, and there are no distinct "black genes" or "white genes." However, some population genetics research aims to find differences between populations. While this is not inherently problematic, it's essential to question the end goal of such research. The history of eugenics, which gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is another important context. Eugenics was the belief that certain people should be allowed to reproduce based on their perceived genetic fitness. It was popular because it tapped into the belief that society could be improved through scientific means, but it was flawed and led to harmful policies, including forced sterilization and anti-immigration measures. Despite its dark history, eugenic ideas persist in popular culture, and it's crucial to understand the complexities and potential consequences of genetic research.
Mapping human variation between populations echoes old-fashioned race science: The Human Genome Diversity Project, despite its denial of intent to support racist claims, continues to raise ethical concerns due to its focus on mapping genetic differences between groups, which can be seen as a continuation of old-fashioned race science.
Despite the advancements in genomic technology and the denial of intent to support racist claims, the Human Genome Diversity Project and similar initiatives have echoes of eugenics due to their focus on mapping human variation between populations. This quest to identify genetic differences between groups, though not labeled as races, can be seen as a continuation of old-fashioned race science. The project's fraught origins and the opposition from indigenous communities, who had learned to mistrust Western scientists, further highlight the problematic nature of these endeavors. Ultimately, the failure to fully address the conceptual flaws and the focus on genetic exceptionalism in isolated communities did not yield significant results. Instead, what emerged from this project was the availability of ancestry testing, which continues to raise ethical concerns. It is crucial to remember that every life matters and every person is valuable in their own way, regardless of their genetic makeup or perceived productivity to society.
Understanding the Complex Role of Race in Modern Science: Scientists should critically examine their use of the concept of race, define it clearly, and consider the potential consequences of their research to avoid perpetuating outdated notions and harmful stereotypes.
The role of race in modern science is complex and multifaceted. While some scientists, both on the fringes and in mainstream academia, continue to study race from a biological perspective, perpetuating outdated notions of racial difference, others are committed to moving beyond these outdated ideas and focusing on individual differences. Ancestry testing, for example, has reinforced the public belief in the reality of race, but it's important to remember that these tests only provide information about ancestry, not race. Mainstream scientific journals sometimes publish research from those on the far right, giving them unwarranted legitimacy. It's crucial for scientists to critically examine their use of the concept of race, define it clearly, and consider the potential consequences of their research. Studies that imply inherent racial differences in traits like intelligence can be misleading and harmful, as they can be used to justify discriminatory policies and social programs. It's essential to approach race in science with care and nuance.
The harmful belief in racial superiority: The belief in inherent racial differences and intellectual superiority is a harmful notion that persists, often used to justify racial inequality. Despite being discredited, it continues to influence far-right groups and ideologies.
The belief in inherent racial differences and intellectual superiority of certain races is a harmful and self-serving notion that has persisted throughout history, often being used as an argument against efforts to address racial inequality. This idea gained momentum through publications like the Mankind Quarterly, which was founded in the 1960s by segregationists as a platform for promoting pseudoscientific racism. Despite being widely discredited, this journal and similar ideologies continue to influence far-right groups and ideologies, demonstrating the importance of continued education and awareness to combat such harmful beliefs. When faced with racial disparities, it's crucial to recognize the historical and societal factors that contribute to them before jumping to conclusions about inherent differences. Only when everyone is treated fairly can we have an informed conversation about potential differences.
Racial assumptions in medicine: Racial assumptions in medicine, such as marketing drugs specifically to certain races, perpetuate outdated beliefs and overlook social factors contributing to health disparities.
Race continues to play an inappropriate role in medicine, often based on outdated or flawed assumptions. The example of the hypertension drug Baidil, approved by the FDA for marketing to black patients only, highlights this issue. The drug's inventor admitted that it works on everyone, yet it was tested and marketed specifically to black people due to higher hypertension rates in the black community. This perpetuates the myth that there is a genetic basis for hypertension in black people, when in fact, social factors are the primary cause. The same issue arises in the context of COVID-19, where speculation about racial susceptibility persists despite a lack of scientific evidence. It's crucial to challenge these racialized assumptions in medicine and recognize that social factors play a significant role in health outcomes.
Disparities in COVID-19 deaths among ethnic minorities linked to frontline work and socioeconomic status: The overrepresentation of ethnic minorities in frontline work and socioeconomic disparities contribute to disproportionate COVID-19 deaths among these groups. Online harassment and scientific misinformation pose challenges to promoting factual information and combating pseudoscience.
The disparities in COVID-19 deaths among ethnic minorities in the UK are not surprising given the overrepresentation of these groups in frontline work and the disproportionate staffing of ethnic minorities in the NHS. Additionally, social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status and discrimination, contribute to health disparities. The author of "Superior: The Return of Race Science," has faced backlash from both population geneticists and race realists for her work on the topic. She has had to deal with online harassment and the publication of personal information, which has affected her reputation as a freelance journalist. To combat scientific misinformation and pseudoscience, the author started a group called Challenging Pseudoscience, which brings together scientists, academics, policymakers, and social media experts to commission research and run public events on the topic. The ultimate goal is to create a system that promotes civil discourse online and returns to factual information.
Exploring the historical and current role of race in societal structures and power dynamics: Angela Saini's books 'Superior' and 'The Patriarchs' examine historical and scientific justifications for racial hierarchies and male dominance, respectively. Listeners can engage with the podcast through its website, book club, and patronage.
Learning from this interview is the exploration of the historical and current role of race in shaping societal structures and power dynamics. Angela Saini discussed her book "Superior: The Return of Race Science," which delves into the scientific justifications for racial hierarchies throughout history. She also mentioned her upcoming book "The Patriarchs," which examines the historical origins of male dominance. The podcast's website, thispodwilldie.com, offers additional resources, including links to these books, transcripts, recipes, show notes, merchandise, and more. The podcast also features music by Bloodmobile and audio mixing by Liana Squatchi. Listeners are encouraged to join the TPWKY book club and support the podcast through patronage. The episode concluded with a reminder to keep washing hands and a thank you to the guests, listeners, and patrons.
