Human diversity

A consistent and comprehensive account of the physical and social aspects of human diversity in its many variations has been badly needed. Alexander Alland has written it to bring the student and teacher of anthropology, as well as the layman and scientist, an up-to-date assessment of the tangled, prolific studies in the subject traditionally known as race. With customary precision and economy, Alland presents the view that the term race should be restricted to sociological analyses, since it is not a valid taxonomic unit in biology. Variations between and within ethnic groups are shown in relation to behavioral genetics and human evolution.\nThe author begins with a prefatory chapter on genetics which gives all readers the equipment to understand the subsequent discussion. He then describes the forces which produce human diversity, and the reasons for abandoning the concept of "race" in biology. He discusses the notion of Caucasoid antiquity and theories which link fossil man to specific living groups. Behavioral genetics is then examined in the specific perspective of racial studies, followed by a discussion of race as a sociological phenomenon, in which the author points out the relationship between racial myths and the historical contexts of interactions among social groups. The final chapter attacks the view that race and intelligence are linked, including a critique of the recent work by Arthur Jensen, and illustrates the problems which emerge when a biological label is applied to a sociological fact.\n[From the back cover.]