BL4214 The Science of Race and Racism

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students. Available only to Honours students on programmes in the School of Biology and School of Psychology and Neuroscience.

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Prof K N Lala

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Professor Kevin Laland

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

The aim of this module is to understand how scientific theory has been used to support the concept of race and justify racism, and how legitimate contemporary genetic analyses undermine racial arguments. It will cover the genetics of human diversity, including those phenotypes (e.g. skin colour, facial features) commonly deployed to categorize individuals into racialized groups, drawing attention to their arbitrariness and unrepresentativeness. It will discuss the history of scientific racism, from its emergence in the Enlightenment and during European colonialism up to the present, with particular focus on theories of eugenics. It will then consider the topics of race and (a) race and intelligence, (b) race and health, and (c) race and sporting performance, before exploring what biologists and biology students can do act as public advocates for an antiracist agenda, standing against racist concepts, arguments and attitudes. It comprises a mix of lectures, group discussion, a workshop and student presentations.

Assessment pattern

100% Continuous Assessment

Re-assessment

100% Continuous Assessment

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

6 x 1 hour lectures, 10 x 1.4 hours seminars and 1 x 0.5 hour of one to one supervision

Scheduled learning hours

23

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

121

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • By the end of the module, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the topics of race and racism.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to understand the core concepts of this field and will have engaged with key controversies.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to describe and critically evaluate examples of scientific research claiming to provide evidence of racial differences.
  • By the end of the module, students will be able to construct a coherent, logical argument supported by empirical findings.