Ashley Montagu, who first attacked the term "race" as a usable concept in his acclaimed work, Man's Most Dangerous Myth, offers here a devastating rebuttal to those who would claim any link between race and intelligence. In now classic essays, this thought-provoking volume critically examines the terms "race" and "IQ" and their applications in scientific discourse. The twenty-four contributors--including such eminent thinkers as Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Lewontin, Urie Bronfenbrenner, W.F. Bodmer, and Jerome Kagan--draw on fields that range from biology (...) and genetics to psychology, anthropology, and education. What emerges in piece after piece is a deep skepticism about the scientific validity of intelligence tests, especially as applied to evaluating innate intelligence, if only because scientists still cannot distinguish between genetic and environmental contributions to the development of the human mind. Five new essays have been included that specifically address the claims made in the recent, highly controversial book, The Bell Curve. Must reading for anyone interested in racism and education in America, Race and IQ is a brilliantly lucid exploration of the boundary line between race and intelligence. (shrink)

This set of 12 papers collates together experiences, lessons, and good practice drawn from Oxfam GB and its partners' global program work on the theme of "the Right to be Heard". Each paper focuses on a different project and demonstrates varying ways of working which can strengthen the participation of people in poverty as active citizens in the shaping of policy decisions. Many poor people around the world are denied the opportunity to have their say. Politics generally works well for (...) those in power, but those in poverty are often excluded from forums on issues that directly affect their welfare and so are unable to hold decision-makers to account. Due to this lack of opportunity to influence debates, many government policies and resource allocations systematically marginalize the people who most need support and assistance and so block progress towards reducing poverty and suffering. These papers cover different approaches, lessons learned, and useful case examples on issues ranging from local community budget monitoring to popular mobilization and media work. Throughout the papers, the authors highlight how addressing a lack of voice and ability to speak out against injustice, as well as the more tangible aspects of the situation, can make a big difference to people's ability to achieve greater well-being and get out of poverty, and so work towards a point where poor and marginalized women and men are more powerful and able to access their rights. (shrink)

"Dr. Montagu's The Natural Superiority of Women was a pioneer statement on sexism, first published some years before the emergence of the Women's Liberation movement. Even with the rise in women's consciousness today, the book remains a revolutionary volume, since it shows that the superiority of women is a biological fact." -- Publisher's description.