Race: Science's Last Taboo

Themes: Beauty

So-called ‘Ethnic Plastic Surgery’ has come under controversial fire for promoting a more ‘Caucasian’ look. Is our idea of physical beauty related to racial categorisation?

ARTICLES

A Eurovision of Beauty?

Dr Amina Mire explores the growing skin whitening industry

Desperately Seeking Beauty by Martha Yankey

Journalist Martha Yankey explores the painful history that’s left many women of colour hating the way they look

Races, Faces, Sex and Science by Katrina Voss

Katrina Voss looks at why we don’t all look the same.

CLIPS

The Acceptable Face of Blackness

Interview with Aarathi Prasad.

GLOSSARY

Not sure what something means? Use our glossary for definitions of specific terms used in this series.

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TIMELINE

The word ‘race’ was first used to refer to humans during the age of exploration, when Europeans discovered that the world was populated by different peoples. Have attitudes to race changed since then?

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OTHER THEMES

POWER

Is racial categorisation linked to the quest for power by one social group over another?

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SCIENCE AND MYTHS

What’s the link between Darwin and Eugenics? Uncover the myths surrounding science and racial differentiation.

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GENETICS AND ENVIRONMENT

Are multi ethnic individuals more resistant to certain diseases? How is our genetic make up linked to the environment we live in?

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BEAUTY

So-called ‘Ethnic Plastic Surgery’ has come under controversial fire for promoting a more ‘Caucasian’ look. Is our idea of physical beauty related to racial categorisation?