This work investigates the scientific validity of the concept of race as a biological classification for human beings. Ashley Montagu, a prominent anthropologist and social biologist, utilizes historical, genetic, and sociological data to argue that the term 'race' is a social construct rather than a biological reality. He examines the history of racial classification systems to demonstrate how they have been used to justify social hierarchies and systemic inequality throughout human history.

Experts recognize this text as a foundational contribution to the anthropological critique of biological determinism. Readers frequently note the clarity of Montagu's arguments despite the technical nature of the biological evidence presented.