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tanya_b's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Weaves science, history, and social science into a fully human picture of how we see ourselves and others.
I would give this extra stars if I could. 10 🌟
I would give this extra stars if I could. 10 🌟
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Genocide, Slavery, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Rape, Violence, Colonisation, and Classism
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, 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 categorized 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: Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Colonisation, War, and Classism
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Pregnancy