Reconsidering race: social science perspectives on racial categories in the age of genomics

To better understand the idea of ""race"" in the postgenomic age, social science ought to move beyond merely repeating the ""race is a social construct"" mantra. This collection directly engages the interface between social-scientific and natural-scientific perspectives on race considering recent developments in genomics. The book provides views that go beyond US-centered or Western-based paradigms on race

Race is one of the most elusive phenomena of social life. While we generally know it when we see it, it's not an easy concept to define. Social science literature has argued that race is a Western, sociopolitical concept that emerged with the birth of modern imperialism, whether in the 16th century (the Age of Discovery) or the 18th century (the Age of Enlightenment). This text points out that there is a disjuncture between the way race is conceptualized in the social science and medical literature: some of the modern sciences employ racial and ethnic categories

To better understand the idea of "race" in the postgenomic age, social science ought to move beyond merely repeating the "race is a social construct" mantra. This collection directly engages the interface between social-scientific and natural-scientific perspectives on race considering recent developments in genomics. The book provides views that go beyond US-centered or Western-based paradigms on race.