In addressing questions of how we confuse cultural difference with
biological inferiority, anthropologist Cohen attacks the sacred
cows of American conservatism, including strict constitutional
constructionism, "canons" of literary discourse, and IQ testing.
"We often cannot imagine that other people might prefer their ways
to ours or derive satisfaction from things that appear to us to be
'quaint' and 'primitive,' " Cohen (State Univ. of New York,
Plattsburgh) writes, regarding his theory that we fabricate racial
hierarchies to support our cultural narrowmindedness. As an
anthropologist, Cohen is accustomed to imagining just such
preferences, his role being to study, without judging, other
cultures. In his consequent support of multiculturalism, Cohen
argues that "the much more difficult but potentially far more
rewarding challenge is to comprehend the real depth and subtlety of
differences and to permit others to be different yet still
coexist." In the area of IQ testing, without presenting new
research but capably marshalling existing studies, Cohen rebuts the
idea that class stratifications along racial lines are a result of
differences in intelligence and dismisses even the idea that
intelligence is a finite quantity that can be measured with tests
that are demonstrably biased. Cohen is able to make a very
convincing case for affirmative action by showing how so-called
corporate welfare and the inherent benefits of being a white male
in American society are themselves a form of affirmative action.
Readers will find this book a strong response to such ideologues as
Richard Herrnstein, Charles Murray, and Allan Bloom. (Kirkus
Reviews)
Americans increasingly blame the failures of minority individuals
in our society on "racial" inferiority. Anthropologist Mark Nathan
Cohen argues cogently that the problems are cultural, not "racial,"
and that they are rooted in the assumptions of mainstream American
culture, not in the biological or cultural failings of "others." By
summarizing scientific evidence proving that "races" do not exist
and that few biological traits actually correlate with the color of
one's skin, Cohen shows that differences in ability cannot be
linked to "race." The growing gap between rich and poor and the
economic subordination of minority groups, he says, are rooted in
the arbitrary rules that govern American society. Culture
constrains our ability to understand and appreciate the actions of
others and often prevents us from seeing the consequences of our
own actions or realizing our alternatives. American perceptions of
what constitute merit, health, hygiene, freedom, progress,
property, economics, justice-and even our own history-are
distorted. Our insistence that ours is the best or only view
promotes intolerance and racism. Cohen shows that definitions of
intelligence, IQ tests, hiring practices, and evaluations of job
performance contain many more cultural biases than we recognize and
thus restrict the opportunities of minority individuals. By
breaking down American cultural assumptions, Cohen offers a strong
defense of affirmative action and multicultural education. He
concludes with some suggestions for the future-to end the racism
and indifference to one another that mark our society.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(3)
