Explores the current state of knowledge of the causes and origins of human diversity and criticizes the reliance on racial labels, showing how new data on genetic markers points to the weaknesses of "classic" race divisions. Subjects include the biological basis for human variation, hemoglobin variants and DNA markers, traits of simple and complex inheritance, and changing dimensions of the human species. This fourth edition is reorganized to incorporate new records of DNA polymorphisms and to place these data in a frame of reference that does not depend on race categories. Although explanations start with the basics and are sometimes lively and interesting, this important material has not been predigested for general readers, and requires some scientific sophistication. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
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