How racism infects science

Racism, and its handmaiden, "race science", have made a stunning comeback in the 21st century

In July 1950, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) issued a statement that characterised racism as “a fundamentally anti-rational system of thought. Scientists have reached general agreement in recognising that mankind is one: that all men belong to the same species, Homo Sapiens”. This was in the aftermath of World War II, a war triggered by a “master race” that did its best to exterminate inferior peoples.

But within a year, Unesco was persuaded to subtly modify that statement to “Scientists were generally agreed...”. Even after a racially-charged war where tens of millions died, there was a