Race is a Four-Letter Word: The Genesis of the Concept - Softcover

"I found this book coherent, plausible, scholarly, engaging, and entertaining to read. If I were recommending this text to my colleagues, I would point to its thorough historical scope and scholarship, its ingratiating style, its distinctly individual voice, and its unique and valuable insights. This is a good, interesting, well-written book by someone who knows a great deal about both human biology and intellectual history."--Matt Cartmill, Professor of Anthropology, Duke University "The Brace manuscript is a tour de force. It represents a major contribution to our understanding of the history of race and racism."--George Armelagos, Professor of Anthropology, Emory University "This is a splendid manuscript on a much needed topic. The topic is timely and I have the greatest respect for the erudition and fine writing style that Dr. Brace provides in this original work. Dr. Brace is a highly respected biological anthropologist and this book will attract a wide reading audience of professionals and other readers who seek enlightenment on the socially debatable issue of race."--Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology, and Asian Studies, Cornell University "I would recommend this text without reservation to anyone who wants a detailed history of the idea of race in science. If one wants to know what individual scientists were doing and thinking, and one does not have time to read them, then this is THE BOOK."--Alan Goodman, Professor of Biological Anthropology, Hampshire College

This text is designed to be used as a supplementary text for any course in which the instructor wants to explore the history of the concept of race in America, the reasons why the concept has no biological validity, and how "race" grew to become accepted as something that virtually everyone regards as self-evident. The first chapter lays out the reasons why the concept is biologically indefensible, and the remainder of the book examines the course of events that created that concept; the journey through time goes from Herodotus through Marco Polo, the Renaissance and the role of the New World, on up to the American Civil War, the curious results of the alliance switch in World War I, Arthur Jensen, the Bell Curve, J. Phillippe Rushton, and the Pioneer Fund in the 21st century.