How do we know if racism really exists? And, if it does, how big a problem is it for the outcomes of people of colour? Only science has the answers to some of society's most pressing questions.
Polls show that half of us think racism doesn’t exist . . .
'Illuminating, surprising, unnerving, moving . . . and, sadly, utterly necessary' - Sathnam Sanghera, bestselling author of Empireland
In the ground-breaking The Science of Racism Professor Keon West cuts through the divisive anecdotes and rhetoric with decades’ worth of clear, factual, rigorous science – the data that reveals truths about racism that are shocking and tragic, but also (somehow) funny and entertaining.
He explains how we know, for example, that Black people are up to 50 per cent less likely to be called in to interview than identically qualified White people. He shows how we know the financial cost of selling items online while Black. He reveals the effects of racism on our friendships, relationships, healthcare and justice system. And he exposes the continued prevalence of racism, and the inadequacy of our many attempts to address it.
Whatever you’ve read before, this book will ensure that you never see racism in the same way again.
"It is quite a feat to pull off a densely informative book about a horrible subject that also manages to be charismatic and funny . . . highly readable" - The Guardian
"Persuasive and precise . . . The Science of Racism is a book that shouldn't have to exist, but I am glad it does . . . The fight is real, and this book is a weapon" - The Spectator
"If you have never encountered any of the arguments around racism enacted by both individuals and systems, this book is, sadly, an urgent place to start" - Financial Times
"Breezy and user-friendly, with funny asides and engaging questions for the reader . . . eye-opening" - Science
"There are several passages in The Science of Racism that almost short-circuit the brain . . . An essential read" - The Independent
"Cuts through debate and rhetoric to deliver the clear and rigorous science of racism" - The i
"Incisive" - Therapy Today
