Understanding Race and Science: From Eugenics to Modern Genomics

How did the concept of race become so deeply embedded in scientific thought, and how does modern science continue to redefine it? This course explores the historical and contemporary intersections of scientific practice, biology, and the social construction of race. By reading through these structured texts and analyses, you will develop a critical framework to understand how scientific authority has been used to justify, construct, and challenge racial categories throughout history and into the digital age. What you'll learn: * Analyze the historical origins of evolutionary racism and the rise of the eugenics movement. * Examine how modern biology transitioned from classifying distinct races to studying populations, genes, and genomes. * Understand the social and ethical implications of contemporary genetic ancestry testing and personalized medicine. * Explore how modern informatics, data practices, and algorithms can reproduce or challenge racial biases. * Critique classical and contemporary scientific discourses surrounding human diversity and inequality. The course begins with foundational definitions of race as both a social construct and a historical scientific category, before guiding you through historical case studies and modern genetic debates. You will read structured explanations and conceptual breakdowns that connect historical scientific racism to today's high-tech landscape. This text-based course is designed for beginners, students, and curious minds who want to understand the history of science and society, with no prior background in biology or anthropology required. Start reading today to deepen your understanding of how science and society shape our views on human difference.