In the Science of Racism, Dr. Keon West offers a survey of the plethora of studies that investigate systematic racism. Unlike other books on the topic, however, Dr. West writes for a non-academic audience and ensures readers have the knowledge necessary to process the breath of the studies. By beginning with a refresher on social scientific research and the ways we “know” things, Dr. West ensures readers have the working knowledge needed to judge the strength of the studies presented in the rest of the book. What I particularly liked is that Dr. West does not just go through the evidence that systematic racism exists but also tackles common responses to racism and how well they work to address the issue.

For academics: This could be a really useful book for courses on methods and understanding race while specific chapters would be good for more specific content courses.

Well-written book for anyone who believes that racism is a thing of the past. Research examples demonstrate how racism can be measured in quantifiable ways.

Details the studies that have been done that shows racism is real and still affects so many factors in life.
With the focus on the science of the studies and tests performed, it makes it clear that unlike what some think,
racism is real and has not changed much over the years.
#TheScienceofRacism #AbramsPress #NetGalley

3.5 ⭐️Heavy on the experiment and study results, but that’s to be expected in a book dealing with science, yes? What this book does well is break down the thousands of studies that have been done in efforts to parse out bias, discrimination, racism. So even though your favorite author, professor, philosopher, or friend may have an opinion about the existence or lack of existence of racism, the one thing that supersedes all that chatter is simply the SCIENCE! And the science says 🥁 “What matters, as always, is the result of rigorous, carefully controlled, expertly analysed, empirical data. And that data reliably points in the same direction: racism is, essentially, in everything. There is no aspect of life that is unaffected by it, and there are very few people (if any) who can pass through society without being touched by it in some way. Scientists don’t decide whether racial discrimination exists because one Black person says it happened to them, or because another Black person says it didn’t. We know that racial discrimination occurs because the empirical research clearly shows that it does, in almost everything, almost everywhere, almost all the time. That is why, as Yale professor Beverly Daniel Tatum pointed out in 1999, ‘Every measurable social indicator, from salary to life expectancy to health to housing accessibility, reveals the advantages of being White.’”

That’s the SCIENCE folks, and every study reaches the same conclusion. And the strangest thing, is most people don’t or won’t recognize their bias, even when it’s openly revealed to them. Mr. West is very assiduous in this scientific look at racism. Not only does he describe it, thoroughly so, he offers ways to move beyond it. Greater interaction with others unlike yourself, education and a shift in your media diet.

There is a chapter on color blindness and the now popular embrace of that sentiment. Well, “I’m color-blind” You may want to read that chapter before continuing to spout that statement as though it’s a positive, spoiler alert, it’s not. After reading this book, you’ll be able to shut down arguments about racism with the simple statement of, “ well according to the science……” mic drop!!

A big thanks to Netgalley and Abrams publishing for an advanced DRC. Book will be available Feb. 18, 2025.