EP 2: Race as a social construct: With guest Dr. Stephanie Meredith

In this episode, biological anthropologist, Dr Stephanie Meredith chats with us about race as a social construct and how even though it’s not a biological reality, the impacts of racial categorizations are still very, very real. We also delve into funny, strange and gobsmacking personal stories around racial perceptions.

Episode breakdown:

• The history of racial classifications and their arbitrary nature, based on physical traits
• The Human Genome Project's findings on genetic similarity
• How other species have a lot more genetic diversity than we do
• The history of the census, when it comes to racial categories and how they have changed
• The impacts and consequences of racial classification, i.e how people are treated and how their bodies move in the world - health, opportunity, experience.
• Why the government still needs race data
• Stories of Dr Stephanie Meredith’s dual heritage
• How other people perceive us when it comes to race
• Mixed race children paying less preferential attention to any one skin tone 

Special Guest: 

Dr. Stephanie Meredith , Ph.D.                                                      

Assistant professor, Anthropology                                                      

College of the Canyons Chair, member and credentials Committee

American association of Biological Anthropologists 

Website: www.stephanie-meredith.com                                   

Instagram: @dr.brachydactyl

 

Links to resources:

Fatal invention by Dorothy Roberts

https://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Invention-Dorothy-Roberts-2012-10-11/dp/B01K0SWV80/ref=sr_1_2?crid=9M4HXH7ZAQI0&keywords=fatal+invention+dorothy+roberts&qid=1696218513&sprefix=fatal+invention+%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-2

PBS Documentary Series: Race the Power of an Illusion 

https://vimeo.com/133506632?gclid=CjwKCAjwseSoBhBXEiwA9iZtxn4ex5XLBSvC1SjSQlwnZfLaepjbp8pyXw4zBGllLs0KLPQ0sT9xAhoCR9cQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Current census

https://www.census.gov/topics/population/race/about.html

Census.gov - a comment on the current racial categories

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/note/US/RHI625222#:~:text=The%20racial%20categories%20included%20in,biologically%2C%20anthropologically%2C%20or%20genetically.

Nelson Mandela - Long Walk to Freedom

https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/nelson-mandela-quotes#:~:text=On%20love,human%20heart%20than%20its%20opposite.%E2%80%9D

Additional info on the Podcast 

Hosts: Amy Maghera -Taub, Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

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