Nature of Difference

George Ellison, Alan H. Goodman

• Recognizing Diversity – A Role For The Law. Choosing Who Will Be Disabled. Beyond Nature/Nurture. Genetics, Eugenics and the Construction of Disease. The Ethics of Human Experimentation. Is There A Biological Basis For Morality?

“The chapters in this volume are incisive, accessible, carefully-edited explications of scientific issues and their intersection with ethics and historical legacy. From these discussions, researchers, students, and a more general readership can learn much. There are new ideas and newly contextualized information for almost everyone. Discussions are concrete and the writing has remarkable clarity and explanatory power. …Importantly through this volume they offer us the possibility that by analyzing regrettable mistakes, we can learn what to look for, what questions to ask, and what approaches to use to engage the challenges that continue to rise in human biology at the intersection of science and society.” —American Journal of Human Biology, April 2006 “This timely collection of essays should be required reading for anyone conducting biological research on human populations.” —Trefor Jenkins, Professor of Human Genetics, Institute for Human Evolution, University of the Witwatersrand “Ellison and Goodman offer a salutary lesson for biologists and social scientists alike – that interdisciplinary collaboration and mutual respect are essential to avoid the pitfalls of biological determinism.” —Ann Oakley, Professor of Sociology and Social Policy, Institute of Education, University of London “At a time when the sacred bundle of an integrated anthropology seems to be unraveling, The Nature of Difference demonstrates how boundary crossing between the biological and social sciences can lead to a new set of problems and interpretations that address the issues of our times.” —R. Brooke Thomas, Emeritus Professor of Biological Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst“This anthology makes a significant contribution to the ongoing, and increasingly contentious, debates about the meaning of human biological diversity. It elevates the dialogue and genuinely engages a wide range of positions across the biological and social sciences.” —Troy Duster, President American Sociological Association