The Return of Race Science - Angela Saini (SitP Online)
Live event link: https://www.twitch.tv/sitp
We've teamed up with other Skeptics in the Pub groups around the country to organise regular talks online during lockdown!
As ethnic nationalism and the far-right become stronger, race science is experiencing a revival, fuelled by the abuse of data and science by politically-motivated groups. The story of who humans are and how we evolved is being rewritten to suit their agendas. Even well-intentioned scientists, through their unconscious use of old-fashioned categories, betray some suspicion that race has some basis in biology - a problem that has played out in speculation around why certain groups are more affected by the Covid-19 virus. In truth, race is no more real than it was hundreds of years ago, when racial categories were invented and hardened by those in power.
In Superior, award-winning author Angela Saini explores the concept of race, from its origins to the present day, explores why we find it so hard to let go of the notion that race is biologically real, and the political consequences of this dangerous idea.
Angela Saini is an award-winning British science journalist and broadcaster. She has presented science programmes on BBC TV and radio, and her writing has appeared in New Scientist, The Sunday Times, National Geographic and Wired. Her latest book, Superior: the Return of Race Science, was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize and named a book of the year by The Guardian, Nature and the Financial Times. Her previous book, Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong, has been translated into thirteen languages. Angela has a Masters in Engineering from the University of Oxford and was a Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Site: https://www.angelasaini.co.uk Book: https://www.harpercollins.co.uk/9780008293864/superior-the-return-of-race-science/ Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gZ6bID
Angela's publisher 4th Estate Books, Jess Wade and Newham Books are giving away free copies of Superior: The Return of Race Science - see here for details: https://twitter.com/4thEstateBooks/status/1268112433471729664
The e-book of Superior: The Return of Race Science is free on Amazon until the 10th June - details here: https://twitter.com/4thEstateBooks/status/1268112434818138112
About Skeptics in the Pub - Online We are a coalition of UK-based Skeptics groups. Formed as the Covid-19 epidemic brought our country to a standstill, we are working to deliver high-quality online events focussing on Science, reason, and critical thinking.
New to Skeptics in the Pub or Twitch or both? We anticipate that Twitch or SitP may be new for some of you so we will have early doors at 6:45 to welcome new attendees and answer any questions you may have.
A useful guide to Twitch here: https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-twitch-4143337
You don't need a Twitch account to watch the talk only if you want to take part in the chat.
You won't need an account to ask questions in the Q&A though.
More details on accessibility, inclusion and safety here: https://www.skepticsinthepub.org/online-safety
Safety & Comfort
We aim to be an inclusive organisation, welcoming attendees from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders. The directors reserve the right to remove any attendee whose continued presence represents a real or perceived threat to the smooth running of our events, or the security and comfort of other attendees. Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.