October 03, 2023

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

56 minutes

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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Contact

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By Hanna-Lee Sakakibara

4.9

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