Racial Science and British Society, 1930-62 - by G Schaffer (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From 1930-62 the idea of race was studied across a range of academic disciplines. This book explores expert thinkings on race in the period and explains the relationship between scientific racial research, social policy and attitudes regarding immigration, ultimately offering new insight into the evolving understanding of the idea of race.

Review Quotes

'A genuinely original and important contribution to the history of race in Britain, which really does what the title promises. Schaffer's analysis goes way beyond the standard history of ideas/institutions approach to race science and shows how scientists both drove and responded to broader social attitudes on race.'

- Dan Stone, Royal Holloway University of London, UK

'Gavin Schaffer's book provides a thoughtful and meticulously researched account of racial science in Britain during a critical period of domestic and international politics and cultural change. It benefits especially by showing the links between intellectual thought, state policies and social attitudes. This study provides a subtle and sophisticated analysis of a neglected but vitally important theme in Twentieth-century British history.' - Tony Kushner, University of Southampton, UK

'Schaffer's meticulously researched, balanced and thought-provoking intellectual history of the relationship between science and society is one that makes a raft of important observations on the interaction between scholarship, politics, society and governmental policy with regards to 'race' and scientific thinking on race. It is very warmly recommended and deserves a wide readership.' - Graham Macklin, Reviews in History

'Scaffer's meticulously researched, balanced and thought-provoking intellectual history of the relationship between science and society is one that makes a raft of important observations on the interaction between scholarship, politics, society and governmental policy with regards to 'race' and scientific thinking on race. It is very warmly recommended and deserves a wide readership.' - Graham Macklin, Reviews in History

'The book is a welcome addition to the field and will be of interest to those concerned with immigration, the impact of the international politics and the Cold War on science and the development of academic disciplines as much as those with an interest more specifically in race science in British society' - Becky Taylor, Birbeck College, The Journal Of Contemporary British history

About the Author

GAVIN SCHAFFER is a Senior Lecturer in Modern European History at the University of Portsmouth. He has published widely on the subjects of racial science and immigration policy. He is also co-editor (with Monica Riera) of The Lasting War: Society and Identity in Britain, France and Germany after 1945 and serves as Associate Editor of the Immigrants and Minorities journal.