The Myth of Race

by Jefferson M. Fish

The Myth of Race deals concisely with a wide range of topics, from how the concept of race differs in different cultures and race relations in the United States, to IQ tests and the census. It draws on scientific knowledge to topple a series of myths that pass as facts, correct false assumptions, and clarify cultural misunderstandings about the highly charged topic of race. The book demonstrates that the apparently straightforward concept of race is actually a confused mixture of two different concepts; and the confusion often leads to miscommunication. The first concept, biological race, simply doesn't exist in the human species. Instead, what exists is gradual variation in what people look like (e.g., skin color and facial features) and in their genes, as you travel around the planet--with more distant populations appearing more different than closer ones. If you travel in different directions, the populations look different in different ways. The second concept, social race, is a set of cultural categories for labeling people based on how their ancestors were classified, selected aspects of what they look like, or various combinations of both.These sets of categories vary widely from one culture to another.

Genres: Race, Science, Nonfiction, Research

141 pages, Paperback

First published November 27, 2012

Reviews

[Kaelan Ratcliffe ▪ كايِلان راتكِليف · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading. NOW.

I feel I should acknowledge that I could be perceived as being slightly disrespectful to the author quoting the final paragraph of his book in my review. However, I cannot think of a better way to sum up the subject Professor Emeritus has tackled with this incredible endeavor. Not only that, but I sense the author made this book with the ambition of seeing its words distributed to as many people as possible, by any means possible, and not to be kept locked away for only a few specialists to look at 150 years from now. As such, I feel confident in quoting the following passage without treading on anyone's toes.

"In summary, humans migrated out of Africa and spread around the globe over many tens of thousands of years, with more distant populations generally appearing more different from one another than closer ones. The race concept migrated out of Europe a few hundred years ago and spread around the globe, with race memes from different languages generally making different distinctions. The race concept flourishes despite contradictory scientific evidence because of its pervasiveness and variety in cultures around the world and because of its linkages to multiple aspects of the self." The Myth of RaceJefferson M. Fish

This is essentially what Professor Emeritus breaks down into more detail throughout his research. I won't go into great exposition (otherwise the impact of the book will be lost on readers) but there are a few moments within these pages that affected me deeply.

1. Understanding that race is (and has been for some time now) a cultural phenomena and NOT biologically proven at all. We are part of the same human species, simply with different features and variations in our physical appearance thanks to thousands of years of migration all over the globe.

2. How race has been defined in the USA has a seriously flawed history. To the point where I found myself laughing internally when reading the sub-section "Problems With the Census Race Categories". Not only does each country vary how it defines race, but they have also changed and expanded racial categories over time. This hidden ineptitude on behalf of the government that issues these censuses was aptly exposed multiple times by the Professor using the USA and Brazil as comparisons. He also uses former president Obamas heritage as point of reference, showing how the presidents "race" would have changed if he were to fill one of the censuses out in 1790, all the way through to 2010. It short, it simply doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

After finishing the final page, I feel there are many more examples on the madness of this subject I could mention. However, a good alternative to my potential ranting would be to simply finding, purchasing and reading this book for full effect. Otherwise I am repeating what has already been laid out by Professor Jefferson. Just in less detail.

If anything, I came away with the distinct impression the Professor must have had a few "banging head on desk" moments when cutting opening this particular vein of thought in human history. It stands to reason that if race were abolished as a pseudo-biological means of identifying or prejudging an individual (and OPENLY acknowledged by our institutions as a cultural means of categorizing people [read: an illogically stupid means]) we would, dare I say, be living in a far better world.

My only hope is this book is read by as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. Get reading and get sharing

[Claudia Hoffmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Race as Culturally Determined - Not Biologically Determined

This is an important book. In contrasting the classification of races in Brazil with that of the United States, it is apparent that race is a culturally defined concept. “In the US, the concept of race is based on ancestry ( called blood), Brazil’s concept of race (tipo) is based on appearance.” In Brazil, tipo is a descriptive term used to describe people whose physical appearance combines African and European features resulting in a large number of categories. The view of race being culturally cult2’92Cultural6
Jefferson Fish is a white psychologist, of Jewish heritage who is married to an African American anthropologist.

[Muhannad · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book to read for everyone interested in race issues, sociology and the humankind in general. Answers important questions about what is race, Why is there racism, Is the racial IQ real, and many more. Recommend!

[Katie W · Rating 1 out of 5]

His argument would have been helped if he had actually listed the evidence in favour of the reality of race, and then tried to criticise the arguments one-by-one. But he doesn't analyze the evidence, he doesn't even mention it. The book was also unoriginal, relying on all the tired liberal clichés and arguments. He makes the classic liberal mistake of thinking that because race has been classified rather haphazardly that it does not exist. But he hasn't asked geneticists and forensic scientists what they think about race. This is one of the main flaws- he only discusses the physical anthropologists view on race. Forensic scientists have a different view from him, and his book fails because he doesn't address their arguments. I wonder who this book's intended audience is- it is not serious and scientific enough to convince those on the far-right that they are wrong, but it produces no new arguments for the left to use.
Other problems: he makes contentious claims without providing references or detailing the evidence for his claims so the reader can assess his claim. He talks about his own mixed-race family too much. There is an overlong chapter detailing all the ways race has been classified on the US census.
Overall, a fail. Surely there must be better books on the subject than this?

[Jefferson Fish · Rating 5 out of 5]

The audiobook version of The Myth of Race is read by Derek Perkins.