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Rageh Omaar to 'explode race myth' in C4 series

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Published Date: 15 October 2009
By Vicky Shaw
CHANNEL 4 is to give a platform to people with controversial views linking race to intelligence in a series of programmes busting "science's last taboo".
The broadcaster said its season will strongly challenge such opinions and "explode" the myth that science can support ideas of racial superiority.

Promoting the season, Channel 4 has altered photos of well-known figures such as Baroness Thatcher, the Beatles and US president Barack Obama to change their racial appearances.

In the first programme of Race: Science's Last Taboo, Rageh Omaar talks to academics who believe aspects of the human brain are linked to race, and to scientists with radically different views. Oona King, Channel 4's head of diversity, said the programme shows "that you cannot link race to IQ".

Channel 4's Race: Science's Last Taboo season of documentaries begins on 26 October.





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  • Last Updated: 14 October 2009 8:58 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Channel 4
 
1

M Stein,

London 15/10/2009 04:08:30
"aspects of the human brain are linked to race"

This is not what they say. There position is that genes infuence intelligence. And genes vary in frequency amongst population groups.

In terms of athletics one example is the RR variant of ACTN3, a gene that affects fast generation of muscular force and correlates with excellence at speed and power sports. The opposite variant of the gene is called XX. Tests indicate that the ratio of people with RR to people with XX is 1 to 1 among Asians, 2 to 1 among European whites, and more than 4 to 1 among African-Americans.

The candidate genes for cognitive function may also vary. Given natural selection, sexual selection and genetic drift it would be surprising if they didn't.
2

M Stein,

London 15/10/2009 04:09:52
Here are some examples:

A June 2007 article from Plos Genetics, Localizing Recent Adaptive Evolution in the Human Genome, provides examples of localized evolution of cognitive function.

"Several genes with functional roles in the development and function of the nervous system show very strong evidence (CLR p < 10-5) for a recent selective sweep. For example, SV2B, a gene encoding a synaptic vesicle protein with highest expression during brain development [36], exhibits strong evidence for a selective sweep in the African-American sample. Likewise, the protein encoded by DAB1 plays a developmental role in the layering of neurons in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum [37], and exhibits strong evidence for a selective sweep in the Asian sample. Other nervous system genes with strong evidence for a selective sweep include two candidate genes for Alzheimer disease (APPBP2 and APBA2) that bind the amyloid-beta precursor protein, two genes (SKP1A and PCDH15) with a role in sensory development, and several others with various roles in nervous system development and function (PHACTR1, ALG10, PREP, GPM6A, and DGKI).

A March 2007 article from Plos Biology, A Map of Recent Positive Selection in the Human Genome, finds plenty of signs up local cognitive evolution.

"Recent articles have proposed that genes involved in brain development and function may have been important targets of selection in recent human evolution [8,9]. While we do not find evidence for selection in the two genes reported in those studies (MCPH1 and ASPM), we do find signals in two other microcephaly genes, namely, CDK5RAP2 in Yoruba, and CENPJ in Europeans and East Asians [46]. Though there is not an overall enrichment for neurological genes in our gene ontology analysis, several other important brain genes also have signals of selection, including the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter GABRA4, an Alzheimer's susceptibility gene PSEN1, and SYT1 in Yoruba; the serotonin transporter SLC6A4 in Eur
3

Kenny A,

15/10/2009 06:38:00
M Stein

couple of heavy posts there, but I think I am getting what you say, IQ is not related to race it is related to the genetics of the individuals involved. I also think upbringing and education is a major factor, which could open up an entirly new debate.

Physicaly each race is different but I do not think that effects intellegence.

Racial superiority is a myth with anyone with a functioning brain cell. This can be easily observed by looking at one area, war. The greeks (macadonians, spartans ) were good at it and built up a whacking great emprire as did the Romans. My all time no 1 conqueror gengis khan was a mongolian, shaka zulu was african.

All showed intelligence and innovation.

For innovation you could look at the Scots who invented everything apart from the cuckoo clock except for what the chinese and now the americans have invented, and lets not forget the germans and japanese.

I have always struggled with why people make judgements about a person on the basis of race.



4

John Cameron,

St Andrews 15/10/2009 07:59:48
I thought "science's last taboo" was to cast any doubt whatsoever on the revealed truth if global warming.
5

John Cameron,

St Andrews 15/10/2009 08:13:13
I find it pretty hard to stomach the notion that any field of scientific enquiry should be completely off the table, even an area as contentious and politically charged as race and IQ. In fact it would seem to me that this is an area where solid facts ARE needed since the debate is driven largely by ideals and emotions. There is a liberal mantra that anyone who even thinks about group differences is by definition a bigot. One sees a similar attitude among the true believers of global warming and other shibboleths of the bien pensant. I am sure that poisoning the well is a highly effective strategy for shutting down debate on a particular topic but it is a terrible strategy for a scientist or any other intellectual to adopt.
6

Selgovae,

Scottish Borders 15/10/2009 08:51:45
#1 M Stein

"The candidate genes for cognitive function may also vary. Given natural selection, sexual selection and genetic drift it would be surprising if they didn't. "

That seems reasonable. But I often question why such studies focus on "racial" differentiation and not, for example, nationality-based differences. I'd guess that most people have offspring with those of the same nationality; race is only a secondary factor. The data you show, for example, groups "European whites". But why not French, or Swedish. Watching the Olympics shows us obvious differences in physical make-up between Kenyans and Nigerians. And there seem to be a lot of tall skinny high jumpers in Sweden, and not so many in Scotland. Anecdotal evidence of the relative intelligence of different nationalities abounds. But the studies that have caused controversy in the past in the past have focused on racial differences, and on population groups where in-group-marriage can be more easily identified.

Anyway, in the interests of peace and harmony, isn't it about time that that marriage to a foreigner was made compulsory?
7

Selgovae,

15/10/2009 08:53:35
#6

Oops, mistake. Should have said "and not on population groups where in-group-marriage can be more easily identified"
8

Imaginary Fiend,

15/10/2009 10:53:12
There was this poet bloke, a couple of centuries ago, he seems to have found out what Rageh Omaar is trying to show, can't for the life of me remember his name, but I am sure the poem ends like this:

"Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a' that,)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that. "
9

,

15/10/2009 10:55:43
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
10

Mercutio,

FALKIRK 15/10/2009 13:55:14
Why are Black Men of African descent much better sprinters than white males.
11

Eric D,

15/10/2009 16:26:10
Top scientist,nobel prize winner and DNA pioneer Sir James Watson certainly thought so, and was hounded out for expressing the obvious. Studies have certainly shown vast differences in IQ between the peoples of Europe , Far East and Africa.To deny it is just politically correct nonsense.Try reading the "Belljar curve" by Murray and Herrnstein and come to your own conclusion.
12

Scottish Stoic,

15/10/2009 17:15:24
#9

Before you band about how is stupid or not maybe you should know that fact that the SNP do not endorse ethno-nationalism but is campaigning on a civic nationalist forum.
13

Scottish Stoic,

15/10/2009 17:15:49
#9

Before you band about who is stupid or not maybe you should know that fact that the SNP do not endorse ethno-nationalism but is campaigning on a civic nationalist forum.
14

Media ones back,

15/10/2009 18:18:20
I have always believed that all humans are equipped with enough intelligence to achieve whatever they put their mind to. But whilst I believe that individual people can achieve anything regardless of their race I am not convinced that entire cultures can.
It is clear to any person with half a brain that something is fundamentally different between all race groups - and one look at Europe, South America, North America, Asia, Australasia and Africa will deliver all the evidence we need to substantiate that claim.
15

Lys Alf,

Scotland 15/10/2009 19:31:01
I am curious, why Black Africa never even evolve an alphabet?
16

Lys Alf,

Scotland 15/10/2009 19:35:12
Post #15

Apologies, something went wrong when I pressed the button to post the comment:

I am curious, why Black Africa never even evolved an alphabet, afterall they have been around for as long as the Europeans!
17

Selgovae,

15/10/2009 20:04:59
#10

But they aren't. There have been more white Scottish champion sprinters than sprinters originating from most countries in Africa.
18

,

15/10/2009 21:56:24
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
19

M Stein,

UK 16/10/2009 03:17:39
@17 "But they aren't. There have been more white Scottish champion sprinters than sprinters originating from most countries in Africa."

No Asian or european has run the 100 metres in under 10 seconds. There is a good discussion of this and other sports here by Jon Entine:

www.jonentine.com/reviews/straw_man_of_race.htm

20

M Stein,

UK 16/10/2009 03:29:03
"@ 3 couple of heavy posts there, but I think I am getting what you say, IQ is not related to race it is related to the genetics of the individuals involved."

Well, that's right. People vary in their abilities based in part on genetic differences.

Differences at the individual level sometimes add up to differences in average ability between people of one group and people of another. You should still treat people as individuals.

There was an interesting paper a couple of years go showing that genetic changes had increased over the last 10,000 years due to population expansion and agriculture. How these changes affect people is still being worked out.

http://unews.utah.edu/p/?r=120607-1
21

Lys Alf,

Scotland 17/10/2009 16:19:30
Why was there no black Archimedes, Hippocrates, Socrates, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Herodtodus, Galilileo, Galen, Pasteur, Lister, Simpson, Wright Brothers, Copernicus, Harvey and countless others?

Equal????
22

El Franko,

21/10/2009 17:06:08
I do not believe for 1 second that the media are willing to discuss this topic in an open-minded way. Given the burden of political correctness which they labour under, and help impose on the rest of us, such a discussion would be incredible.

My own vague recollection of the ranking supported by some studies in this area has Chinese at the top and Australian aborigines at the bottom.
23

Kantata2003,

Sussex 23/10/2009 18:09:56
James Watson - to whom an earlier writer referred - was hounded for declaring that he had little hope for Africa because Africans are less intelligent than Westerners and that there is no reason why the various races of the world should have evolved at an equal rate. There should be no such thing as "taboos" in science. Watson's statements are falsifiable and therefore appropriate grist for the science mill. Compare this with the religious superstitious nonsense Francis Collins (former head of the genome project) spouts in his lectures and no one blinks an eyelid at that.
24

Phil Swaray,

London, UK 27/10/2009 21:36:19
Lys, there were/are plenty of "alphabets" from Africa. Unfortunately colonialism meant that these were replaced by mainly English and French alphabets as they became the means of formal education
25

Silas,

Hatfield 30/10/2009 21:44:05
Perhaps after talking about race and intelligence we could talk about race and the tendence to destroy or race, torture and cruelity! Here is one IQ question: Which race has caused so much destruction on earth?

 

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