The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! š
matthew_david's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
josieruby1's review against another edition
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Racism
Moderate: Medical content, Slavery, Torture, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Islamophobia, Genocide, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
librarymouse's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
This book offers a nuanced perspective on the history of attempting to find biolo ical difference between individuals on the basis of perceived,Ā nd often arbitrary categories. Rather than outr ght dismissing the possibility that there could be biological differences in ethnic groups that we have not discovered yet, Saini works from the perspective of the social impact of this type of race-based research and explores the ethical dilemmas that stem from it. One of her major points addresses the reality that the ways people are categorizedĀ or studies, in terms of race, are often arbitrary and poorly defined. The defining factors are social, and often lack rooting in scien ific application.
Saini also explores the history of weaponized race science, leading back to the Nazis. There's a common belief that after world war II not the ideology fell away to a more liberal worldview. Saini explores the ways and which this perceived history is incorrect and the outcomes of having a hidden ring of bigoted, attempting to work science to suit their beliefs. The same groups that claim that there is a secret Jewish cabal running the world actually do work in the shadows, funding or being funded by wealthy individuals and/or organizations for work intent on proving racial superiority in one way or the other, regardless of how many lies need to be told and test results need to be warped to reach that outcome. Saini covers many bases, addressing the issue of race science across the globe, but she pays special attention to the powder keg that is the United States, and the unique circumstances that lead to the current political climate and infrastructure.
Saini also explores the history of weaponized race science, leading back to the Nazis. There's a common belief that after world war II not the ideology fell away to a more liberal worldview. Saini explores the ways and which this perceived history is incorrect and the outcomes of having a hidden ring of bigoted, attempting to work science to suit their beliefs. The same groups that claim that there is a secret Jewish cabal running the world actually do work in the shadows, funding or being funded by wealthy individuals and/or organizations for work intent on proving racial superiority in one way or the other, regardless of how many lies need to be told and test results need to be warped to reach that outcome. Saini covers many bases, addressing the issue of race science across the globe, but she pays special attention to the powder keg that is the United States, and the unique circumstances that lead to the current political climate and infrastructure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Hate crime, Classism, Colonisation, Mental illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, Child death, Chronic illness, Slavery, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Racism, Religious bigotry, Terminal illness, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Pregnancy
sallygalula's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
rey_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Racial slurs
jdisarray's review against another edition
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism and Racial slurs
alanaefarrell's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
tieflingkisser's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
samdalefox's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.75
Angela Saini is a treasure to the intersectional feminism world. Long may her research continue. 'Superior' is her next book following 'Inferior' and largely achieves the same outcome. Saini comprehensively debunks racism's core lie, just as she roundly debunked sexism's core lie previously. She methodically, logically, dissects the racism used within science. She explains how it begun, how and why it survives today, and how it has influenced society. Saini draws from a range of sources, notably anthropologists, historians, sociologists, molecular biologists, and geneticists. I personally found one of the later chapters examining clinical trials very interesting. Despite all this academic research, this is not a dry book. Siani is an experienced journalist and weaves personal narratives and dialogue into the text.
I greatly appreciate the thoroughness of Saini's investigations, and her attempt to report neutrally whilst simultaneously recognising her own experiences, limitations, and biases AND the inclusion of an impressive references list. From one scientist to another, THANK YOU. We love sources. We love peer reviewed research. We love substantiating our claims. This 1) gives weight to her analyses and credibility, and 2) gives us the readers the power to read further, critically assess for ourselves, and have an ammo list to hand when some devil's-advocate-troll demands a reference for your claim.
The reason this doesn't quite pip 5 stars is because at times the narrative repeated itself and felt a little wandering. It could benefit from a tiny bit of trimming and reformatting so that the key points and evidence cited in each chapter stand out more clearly.
Overall, this is a critical book for anyone interested in learning about racism and/or committed to becoming anti-racist. There were several moments in the book that prompted me to question my own internalised thoughts about race. I would highly recommend.Ā
I greatly appreciate the thoroughness of Saini's investigations, and her attempt to report neutrally whilst simultaneously recognising her own experiences, limitations, and biases AND the inclusion of an impressive references list. From one scientist to another, THANK YOU. We love sources. We love peer reviewed research. We love substantiating our claims. This 1) gives weight to her analyses and credibility, and 2) gives us the readers the power to read further, critically assess for ourselves, and have an ammo list to hand when some devil's-advocate-troll demands a reference for your claim.
The reason this doesn't quite pip 5 stars is because at times the narrative repeated itself and felt a little wandering. It could benefit from a tiny bit of trimming and reformatting so that the key points and evidence cited in each chapter stand out more clearly.
Overall, this is a critical book for anyone interested in learning about racism and/or committed to becoming anti-racist. There were several moments in the book that prompted me to question my own internalised thoughts about race. I would highly recommend.Ā
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Slavery, Genocide, and Misogyny
rachbake's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Antisemitism