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A01=Rina Bliss
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Author_Rina Bliss
bioethics
biology
Category=JBFA
Category=JBFA1
Category=JBSL1
Category=JHB
dna
eq_bestseller
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eq_new_release
eq_nobargain
eq_non-fiction
eq_society-politics
equality
equity
ethics
ethnicity
genetics
genome
identity
race
racial difference inequality
science
science and society
social justice
sociology
Product details
- ISBN 9781324123392
- Weight: 155g
- Dimensions: 140 x 211mm
- Publication Date: 06 Jan 2026
- Publisher: WW Norton & Co
- Publication City/Country: US
- Product Form: Paperback
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Biologically, race does not exist. But in our social world, it remains decidedly important. Mainstream scientists embrace these truths, yet misinformation about human variation and genetics persists in our society. What is the true relationship between the two? And how should we talk about identity in science and medicine?
In deeply researched, masterful prose, sociologist Rina Bliss guides us through the invention and evolution of the concept. She reveals how the myth of distinct, biological races endures in medicine, science and social policy—warping our understanding of complex topics like intelligence, disease susceptibility and behaviour. Even well-intentioned researchers add to the confusion by introducing racial analysis in contexts where it doesn’t belong, resulting in misleading reports that amplify harmful assumptions and ignore the social forces at work. At a time when misinformation about our bodies and identities is dangerously prevalent, Bliss unmasks what’s truly real about race: namely, racism’s impact on our bodies and lives.
A Norton Short
Dr. Rina Bliss is the award–winning author of Rethinking Intelligence, Race Decoded, and Social by Nature, and an associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
