Race, Evolution, and Behavior: A Life History Perspective

Testing for racial differences in behavior has been much neglected over the past sixty years. And when not subject to neglect, to strongly negative imputations among professionals and politicians alike. According to J. Philippe Rushton, substantial racial differences do exist and their pattern can only be explained adequately from an evolutionary perspective. In Race, Evolution, and Behavior he reviews international data and finds a distinct pattern. People of East Asian ancestry and people of African ancestry are at opposite ends of a continuum, with people of European ancestry intermediate, albeit with much variability within each broad grouping. This volume is sure to be controversial as Rushton attempts nothing less than a paradigmatic change in the way social scientists approach their work, especially those concentrated in the study of racial differences. Race, Evolution, and Behavior must be read by sociologists, anthropologists, and black studies specialists.