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University of California Press

Where Biology Ends and Bias Begins

Lessons on Belonging from Our DNA

by Shoumita Dasgupta (Author)
Price: $29.95 / £25.00
Publication Date: Feb 2025
Edition: 1st Edition
Title Details:
Rights: World
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780520397149
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Illustrations: 13 b/w illustrations, 11 tables, 1 box

About the Book

A geneticist and internationally recognized anti-racism educator provides a powerful, science-based rebuttal to common fallacies about human difference.
 
Well-meaning physicians, parents, and even scientists today often spread misinformation about what biology can and can’t tell us about our bodies, minds, and identities. In this accessible, myth-busting book, geneticist Shoumita Dasgupta draws on the latest science to correct common misconceptions about how much of our social identities are actually based in genetics.
 
Dasgupta weaves together history, current affairs, and cutting-edge science to break down how genetic concepts are misused and how we can approach scientific evidence in a socially responsible way. With a unifying and intersectional approach disentangling biology from bigotry, the book moves beyond race and gender to incorporate categories like sexual orientation, disability, and class. Where Biology Ends and Bias Begins is an invaluable, empowering resource for biologists, geneticists, science educators, and anyone working against bias in their community.

About the Author

Shoumita Dasgupta is the daughter of Bengali immigrants, a woman of color in STEM, and a scientist educator and geneticist. She is Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean of Diversity & Inclusion at Boston University, a Fulbright Specialist, and a member of the inaugural cohort of faculty affiliates at the Ibram X. Kendi Center for Antiracist Research.

Reviews

"A wonderfully accessible overview of just how easily bias can creep into science, together with solid, practical advice on how to challenge it. A valuable resource for researchers, physicians, and policymakers."—Angela Saini, author of Superior: The Return of Race Science

"Shoumita Dasgupta presents a clear, comprehensive call for genomic researchers and healthcare providers to learn more about and do better at mitigating bias in medicine. We are responsible for ensuring that rapidly evolving genomic technologies and therapies are equitably accessible to all."—Michelle Takemoto, Founder and Executive Director, Alliance for Genomic Justice