Summary Of A Troublesome Inheritance By Nicholas Wade

In his book, A Troublesome Inheritance, Nicholas Wade attempts to shed light on the perennially taboo subject of the genetics of race. His efforts include a frank conversation about the origins of the matter as well as the justifiably strong feelings that come with it. Wade’s book dives right in by elaborating and explaining in great detail the laborious and often painful processes utilized by the scientific community in reaching consensuses on issues. Wade also unabashedly delves into the dark, horrific events of the 20th Century that stemmed from misconceptions of genetics, race, and politics. It is clear that Wade believes these tragic events have prevented society from addressing the issues and potential for greater understanding that race

7) and laments the idea that science should be hindered by political correctness. Instead, he argues, because of the painful events of yesteryear and the common fear of what road racial genetics leads down, we have all but blinded ourselves to race entirely. In an effort to correct past wrongs, we have inadvertently overlooked an important factor in better understanding our own beginnings and how cultures and people around the world have evolved to modern times. Wade presents his argument with a myriad of facts and citations from prominent figures, lending credence to his point of view. He further points out that this field of study is often marginalized and ignored precisely because of the political connotations of the subject matter. A Troublesome Inheritance attempts to de-stigmatize the topic of racial genetics and present a frank, unfiltered argument for why this topic deserves more consideration in our quest of societal understanding and

We have seen in the past four decades race-based affirmative action programs that have arisen and fitfully developed through judicial challenges. As in most case, the best of intentions do not always lead to positive outcomes. Nothing could be more apt in describing the perilous position we have bestowed upon millions of minority students who have been admitted to higher learning institutions under the auspices of diversity. As illustrated by the standardized test and GPA numbers in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, the students admitted to the medical school of UC-Davis under their affirmative action policy were extraordinarily less qualified when compared to the student body as a whole. This not only unfairly displaced white and Asian students who would have otherwise been admitted to those spot on merit but also places those underperforming students in an environment in which they are destined to fail. As perfectly illustrated in Richard Sander and Stuart Taylor’s book Mismatch, underqualified students admitted to more prestigious institutions on the grounds of providing diversity results in a marked increase in those same students struggling in their field of study and even dropping out when compared to their peers who attend schools more closely aligned with their previous