Jeremy Adam Smith

Forthcoming from Beacon Press in Spring 2010.

Where do our prejudices come from? Why are some people more biased than others? Is it possible for individuals, and society as a whole, to truly defeat prejudice?

Scientists have explored these questions for years, and Are We Born Racist? brings their discoveries to a general audience for the first time, as leading scientists, psychologists, educators, and many others discuss why and how our brains form prejudices, how racism hurts our health, steps we can take to mitigate prejudiced instincts, and what a post-prejudice society might actually look like. Writers in Are We Born Racist? illustrate the deep psychological roots of prejudice, detectable even in our brain activity—while also proving that we can change our responses to these biases.

With its groundbreaking scientific basis and multidisciplinary approach, Are We Born Racist? will appeal to positive psychology enthusiasts, educators, readers of books on race and antiracism, parents, medical professionals, students in a wide range of disciplines, and many others who seek practical, research-based tools for overcoming prejudice.

The Editors
Jason Marsh is editor-in-chief of Greater Good magazine and coeditor, with Jeremy Adam Smith and Dacher Keltner, of The Compassionate Instinct. Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton holds a PhD from Columbia University and is currently associate professor of psychology at the University of California-Berkeley. Smith is author of The Daddy Shift; his writing has appeared in the Nation, San Francisco Chronicle, Utne Reader, Wired, and elsewhere. All three editors live in the San Francisco area.