The Meaning of Race Race, History and Culture in Western Society [Hardcover]

In The Meaning of Race, Kenan Malik throws new light on the nature and origins of ideas of racial difference. Arguing that the concept of 'race' is a means through which Western society has come to understand the relationship between humanity, society and nature, the book re-examines the relationship between Enlightenment thought and racial discourse, clarifies the nature of scientific racism, and presents a critique of postmodern theories of cultural 'difference'.In The Meaning of Race, Kenan Malik throws new light on the nature and origins of ideas of racial difference. Arguing that the concept of 'race' is a means through which Western society has come to understand the relationship between humanity, society and nature, the book re-examines the relationship between Enlightenment thought and racial discourse, clarifies the nature of scientific racism, and presents a critique of postmodern theories of cultural 'difference'.Introduction.- Beyond the Liberal Hour.- The Social Limits to Equality.- The Making of a Discourse of Race.- Race in the Age of Democracy Race, Culture and Nationhood From Biological Hierarchy to Cultural Diversity.- Cultural Wars.- Universalism, Humanism and the Discourse of Race.- Equality and Emancipation.- Bibliography.- Index.