Groundhog Day? The strange case of sociology, race and 'science'

Discussion of the natural sciences had a foundational role in the development of the sociology of race and racism, underpinning the claim that races should, if at all, be studied as social rather than natural phenomena. Whatever its strengths, the position on race and science that sociologists established had important limitations both as an account of science and society and as a solution to sociological problems. These limitations have been thrown into sharp relief by new forms of biological knowledge and practice that have the potential to disorder and reorder categories, disciplinary boundaries and the politics of difference. These developments require sociologists to rethink how they engage with academic and public discussion of race and biology.