Charles C. Roseman: Race Science, Genetics, & Evolution: A Scientific Evaluation

Race science is a school of thought that proposes that there are evolved and largely immutable genetic and biological differences among putative races of humans. In the view of the race scientists, racial disparities arise because of these evolved differences. Mainstream scholarship on race and racism has come to the opposite conclusion, that racial categories and disparities are both a product of racism acting out in societies in historical context. I attempt to resolve one small part of this dispute by engaging in a scientific evaluation of the theoretical and methodological basis of race science. Using classic and contemporary evolutionary genetic theory, I demonstrate that the theoretical and methodological basis of race science is riddled with basic mathematical errors, theoretical contradictions, and methodological missteps. These failings disqualify race science from being considered a serious attempt at a scientific understanding of human variation independent of any political considerations. I conclude by examining the ways in which mainstream academics treat evolution and genetics and the manner in which university administrations structure academic incentives enables the persistence of race science. 

Prof. Charles C. Roseman is Associate Professor of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior at University of Illinois Urbana-Champagin. He studies the evolution of complex traits and issues at the nexus of biology and society.

The lecture will also be streamed via this link: https://ugent.cloud.panopto.eu/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=befda4be-aed7-4040-a95e-b44300a7c678