Author Description

Man's Most Dangerous Myth was first published in 1942, when Nazism flourished, when African Americans sat at the back of the bus, and when race was considered the determinant of people's character and intelligcnce. Ashley Montagu presented a revolutionary theory for his time: Breaking the link between genetics and culture, he argued that race is largely a social construction, and not constitutive of significant biological differences between people. This new edition contains Montagu's most complete explication of his theory and a thorough updating of previous editions. The sixth edition takes on the issues of the Bell Curve, IQ testing, ethnic cleansing, and other contemporary race relations topics, as well as contemporary restatements of topics in previous editions. A bibliography of over 3,000 published items on race, compiled over a lifetime of work, is of enormous research value. Also available is an abridged student edition containing the essence of Montagu's argument, its policy implications, and his thoughts on contemporary race issues for use in classrooms. Ahead of its time in 1942, Montagu's arguments still contribute essential and salient perspectives as we face issues of race in the 1990s.