Mixed Race Studies

Scholarly perspectives on the mixed race experience.

Skin color is historically the locally adaptive trait most commonly considered by European cultures as a “racial trait” in humans. Skin color is an adaptation to the amount of ultraviolet (uv) radiation in the environment: dark skins are adaptive in high uv environments in order to protect from radiation damage that can kill and burn cells and damage DNA if not protected by melanin, and light skins are adaptive in low uv environments in order to make sufficient vitamin D, which requires uv (Hochberg & Templeton, 2010; Jablonski & Chaplin, 2010). The geographical distribution of skin color follows the environmental factor of uv intensity. Skin color differences do not reflect overall genetic divergence. For example, the native peoples with the darkest skins live in tropical Africa and Melanesia. The dark skins of Africans and Melanesians are adaptive to the high uv found in these areas. Because Africans and Melanesians live on opposite sides of the world, they are more highly genetically differentiated than many other human populations (Figure 2) despite their similar skin colors. Europeans, who are geographically intermediate between Africa and Melanesia, are likewise intermediate at the molecular genetic level between Africans and Melanesians, even though Europeans have light skins that are adapted to the low uv environment of Europe. Skin color differences in humans are not a reliable indicator of overall genetic differentiation or evolutionary history. Moreover, skin color varies continuously among humans in a clinal fashion rather than categorical ecotypes (Relethford, 2009). Hence, there is a compelling biological reason to exclude skin color as the racially-defining adaptive trait under the ecotype concept of race.

Alan R. Templeton, “Biological races in humans,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Volume 44, Issue 3, September 2013. 262–271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsc.2013.04.010.

Philosophy of Race (3050)

Posted in Course Offerings, Media Archive, Philosophy, United States on 2013-03-11 20:21Z by Steven

Philosophy of Race (3050)

Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina
Fall 2013

Kim Hall, Professor of Philosophy

What is race? What is the relationship between the category of race and racism? What is the relationship between race and personal identity? How do multiracial identities raise questions about the meaning of race and its relationship to identity? What is the relationship between racialization and society? What can philosophy help us to understand about race? What are the relationships between race, gender, class, and sexuality? How has the idea of race influenced the discipline and practice of philosophy? This course will examine the metaphysical, epistemological, social, political, and ethical dimensions of race. Class readings will include both historical and contemporary philosophical approaches to race and racism.

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Our Problems with Race: Addressing Biological Versus Social Definitions

Posted in Health/Medicine/Genetics, Live Events, Media Archive, Social Science, United States on 2009-10-19 21:55Z by Steven

Our Problems with Race: Addressing Biological Versus Social Definitions

Appalachian State University
Blue Ridge Ballroom PSU
Wednesday, 2009-10-28 19:00 EDT (Local Time)

Joseph L. Graves, Jr, Dean of University Studies and Professor of Biological Sciences
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

What does evolution tell us about race and what are we taught to believe about race? What are the implications for how we view, group, and value others? Using his research background in evolutionary biology, Dr. Joseph L. Graves, Jr. explains how most Americans still believe that there is some biological legitimacy to our socially constructed racial categories despite the modern scientific evidence that discredits all of our social stereotypes. Dr. Graves has written two books that address the myths and theories of race in American society. He has published over 50 papers and book chapters and has appeared in six documentary films and numerous television interviews on these general topics.

Tags: Appalachian State University, evolution, Joseph Graves Jr., Joseph L. Graves, Joseph L. Graves Jr.

Philosophy of Race (3050)

Our Problems with Race: Addressing Biological Versus Social Definitions

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